John F. Richter, age 103, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2026. He was born on May 1, 1922, in Superior, Wisconsin, to Frank and Marion Richter. He attended Superior Cathedral elementary and high school, graduating in 1940.

In October 1942, John enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. He completed basic training in San Diego, California, and served four years in the South Pacific. He was honorably discharged in February 1946 and returned to Superior, where he was employed by the Great Northern Railway. He later attended Superior State College.

In September of 1948 John married Carol Gylland, daughter of Esten and Florence Gylland, and the couple moved to Chicago, where he attended Loyola University while working part-time at a soft drink bottling company. He graduated from Loyola University in 1950. In 1951, they returned to Superior with their two children, Janice, born in 1950, and James, born in 1951.

John worked as credit manager at the Firestone Store in Superior before joining the Drott Tractor Company of Milwaukee as manager of its Rice Lake branch, selling road construction equipment. He later became an aggregate specialist, a role he greatly enjoyed.

In 1966, John moved to the Minneapolis area and served as Personnel Manager for Reuter Inc. in Hopkins, Minnesota, for six years. He then returned to Drott Tractor Company in Milwaukee as an aggregate specialist. He retired in 1992 and returned to Rice Lake, a community he loved, to be close to family and friends.

John and Carol spent 20 winters in Sarasota, Florida, at Venetian Park Estates, where they made many lasting friendships. He enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing, and park activities. He was a member of the Rice Lake Elks Club, the VFW, Golden K of Rice Lake, the Knights of Columbus, and St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. John was known for sharing humorous stories from his military service with his grandchildren. Among his accomplishments while in Special Forces was supervising construction of the first radar tower at the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Frankie Jacobson and Josephine Legard; brother Willard; infant son Jerome David; daughter Janice; and his wife of 70 years, Carol. He is survived by his children James (Heidi), John (Bobbie Jo), Connie (Willie Fischer), and Patrick (Regina); six grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11AM Thursday, March 26, 2026 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Rice Lake, Father Isaiah Schick officiating, with interment in St. Joseph Cemetery in Rice Lake, where Full Military Rites will be accorded him by the Rice Lake Veteran Honor Guard.

Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the funeral service at the Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to Rice Lake Golden K Club.

Last Update: Mar 23, 2026 9:11 am CDT