Douglass Wingfield Richter's Obituary
Douglass Wingfield Richter passed away peacefully on January 12, 2011. He was born on November 20, 1925, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and was the only child of Henry Wingfield and Marion Smith Richter. Growing up in Milwaukee he attended Milwaukee Country Day School. He enjoyed the beauty of the area - especially Lake Oconomowoc, where he was introduced to a lifelong passion - sailing. He attended Brown University for a short time prior to enlisting in the U.S. Navy to support the war effort. He served on a submarine, the U.S.S. Medregal. After the war his studies resumed at Dartmouth College and the Tuck School of Business. In 1949 he married Lea Leedom also of Milwaukee. They spent their first married years in Hanover, NH, as Doug finished school. Upon graduation a position with Will Ross, Inc. took Lea and Doug to Colorado. While living in Denver, their two daughters, Kit and Debby, were born. The family later moved to Bellevue and eventually settled in Lakewood. He loved the beauty and recreation of the Pacific Northwest. He could be found on the ski slopes in the winter and enjoying the waters of Puget Sound throughout the summer. One of his proudest accomplishments was summiting Mt. Rainier. Doug thoroughly enjoyed people and was actively involved with a number of civic and social organizations.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lea; his daughter Debby Richter-Pepper; his grandson, Ben Pepper; and his daughter, Kit and her husband Newby Herrod.
A memorial service will be held at 3 P.M. on Saturday, January 15 at St. Joseph's and St. John's Episcopal Church in Lakewood. A reception will follow immediately at the Tacoma Country and Golf Club. The family would like to thank the staffs of the Weatherly Inn and Franciscan Hospice House for their kindness and care. Memorials may be directed to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center for the Institute for Prostate Cancer Research, c/o Michael Rubin, FHCRC, P.O. Box 19024, Mail Station J5-200, Seattle 98109 or Dartmouth College, Dartmouth College Fund, 6066 Development Office, Hanover, NH 03755.
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