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Ralph "Jerry" Richter, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, son, uncle, and friend passed away on June 14, 2021, at his home in Enid. A celebration of his life will be held 11:00 A.M. Monday June 21, 2021, in the Brown-Cummings Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Mark McAdow officiating. Services will be live streamed on the Brown-Cummings Funeral Home Facebook Page. Services are under the direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.
Jerry was born on October 16, 1927, to Martha and Ralph Richter and lived all of his life in Enid. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth Ellen, his parents and his sister, Bettye Olmstead.
He is survived by his daughter, Barbara and husband John Murphy, grandchildren Kyle and Katie (Lively) Murphy, Zach Murphy and fiancée Kamber McMaster, his brother Karl Richter and wife Beverly, and sister Sally Stevens and husband Tommy both of Enid, along with many beloved nieces and nephews and extended family.
After graduating from Enid High School in 1945, he attended the University of Oklahoma where he majored in business administration. The summer before his senior year in college, he was called to active duty and served 1 year in the Army. After that, he remained in the Army Reserve while moving back to Enid to work for the family business, since it was deemed essential business hauling military equipment. Although he never completed his degree at OU due to his military service, in 2012, his business degree was reviewed and awarded to him by OU.
On October 18, 1952, he married the love of his life, Ruth Ellen Lewis, and they were married for 54 years.
Jerry enjoyed work and had a tireless work ethic all of his life. He was never one to give up on anything. Jerry got his start working in the family freight business, Checker Transit. During the labor shortage in WWII, at age 15, claiming to be 16, he got his driver's license and began driving a freight truck on delivery routes from Enid to Kansas City round trip, often driving all night before attending high school the next morning.
He later worked as a manager for Texas Oklahoma Express and Advanced United in Enid. In 1973, he started VRV Drilling Company with Clayton Voth, drilling water wells in the Enid area until his retirement in 2003.
He had an interesting and full 93 years.
He had a strong faith in God and was blessed with a wonderful sense of humor and devoted family and friends whom he adored and loved spending time with. He was generous in all ways and took great joy in being able to help anyone that he could. Jerry never failed to see the best in people, and always had the most interesting stories about his life and growing up in Enid, a place he dearly loved. Somehow, he always had time to chat and give advice. Jerry had many interests and excelled at all of them.
The family would like to especially thank all of the kind caregivers, neighbors and friends who provided such wonderful care and assistance to him during his latter years. Memorials may be made to Hedges Speech and Hearing or Circle of Love Hospice Services, with Brown-Cummings serving as custodian of the funds.
Condolences and special memories can be shared with the family online at www.Brown-Cummings.com.
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