Gertrude Dorothea Richter

Gert was born Gertrude Dorothea Evanger on July 19, 1916, on a farm near Arnegard, North Dakota, to Johan and Hannah (Myhren) Evanger. She was the oldest of five siblings: Ruth Lange, Jeanette Bell, Harold Evanger, and only surviving sibling, Carol Brand. While she was still a child, her family moved to Steilacoom, Washington and she graduated from Lincoln High School in Tacoma. She met Voris Richter while she was living in Steilacoom and married him on October 29, 1938. They soon moved to Bellingham, living the rest of her life at three locations on Nevada Street. She worked for many years at the Leopold Hotel and later for Akers Taxidermy. After she retired she worked as a volunteer at The Handicapped Workshop for many years. She was devoutly religious and lived a life which embodied true Christian principles. She loved her church family and sang in the First Baptist Church Choir for over fifty years. With husband Voris, and sister and brother-in-law Carol and Sterling Brand, she was a faithful Peace Vigil demonstrator at the Federal Building for many years. As an avid quilter, she demonstrated her love for her family in later years by making numerous quilts for everyone, especially baby quilts. Her skills included baking Norwegian cookies, teaching quilting, and French braiding all the little girls’ hair. She was a music lover and made sure all her children had music lessons, always encouraging and supporting music, art, and science projects in her extended family. She is survived by her children Wayne (Polly) Richter, Don (Terry) Richter, and Carole (Bob) Inge; grandchildren John Inge (Lorrie), Stephanie Janes (Bill), Sunny Inge, Brad Kaufman, Brian Richter (Valentine), Claire Cassidy, Celeste Cassidy, Ace Cassidy; and great-grandchildren Marcus Inge, Victoria Inge, Courtney Brown, and Collette Brown. Gertrude enjoyed her 100th birthday parties, but was ready for her next chapter. There will be a memorial service on November 26 at the First Baptist Church, 110 Flora Street, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to: The Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington; First Baptist Church, Bellingham, Washington; or “Word Made Flesh”, Newburg, Oregon.

Gertrude Dorothea Richter

July 19, 1916 - October 15, 2016