Alfred Richter

Alfred Reynold Richter, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully on December 29, 2025, in Gurnee, Illinois. He was 99 years old. Born on August 3, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, Alfred was the son of Hildegard and Konrad Richter. After moving with his family to Germany in 1939, he spent much of his young adulthood in Arnstadt and Kassel, Germany. After the war, he worked as a translator at the Nuremberg War Trials and spent time in Sweden assisting with the investigation into Jacob Wallenberg, a Nazi sympathizer and key figure in the Wallenberg Family finances. He attended the University of Heidelberg before returning to Chicago in 1950 where he met his future wife, Doris Ann Normile. Alfred and Doris married in 1954 and raised five children: Jim, Fred, Carol, George, and Gaye. Alfred loved his family deeply, but his true passions were power boating, and anything seasoned with a little extra enthusiasm and laughter. He firmly believed that salt, sugar, and butter were not food groups to be limited, but life choices to be celebrated with a daily dose of German Piesporter Reisling wine. Moderation was for calm water—and Alfred rarely encountered either. His greatest joy came from cruising Lake Michigan aboard his cabin cruiser, The 7Rs, where laughter was loud, the spray was constant, and the phrase “this will be fun” usually meant “hold on.” Al was a life-time member of the Waukegan Yacht Club and an executive member of the Waukegan Power Squadron. He taught celestial navigation at Adler planetarium, wrote columns, gave lectures, and taught safe boating to many new boating enthusiasts. Alfred and Doris shared 41 years of marriage before Doris passed away from breast cancer in 1995. In 2000, Alfred married Ann Trowbridge Lawrence. Their marriage was filled with joy, companionship, and shared adventures. They cruised Lake Michigan on Our Lady, their Chris Craft cabin cruiser. Together they learned Spanish, took dance lessons—including the tango—and traveled widely through Europe, South America, Mexico, Canada, and on American riverboat cruises. They talked and read together in the evening, enjoyed time on their patio and treasured outdoor dinners with family at the Cabana Bar. Al was warmly embraced by Ann’s family, including her children David, Bob, Kathy/Kate, and Philip, and their spouses, and he in turn became an inspiration and source of love to them. Alfred R. Richter is survived by his children; Jim (Laurie Friedman) Richter, Fred Richter, Carol (Scott) Wicks, George (Mary Timmons) Richter, and Gaye (Mark) Crosby; his stepchildren; David (Cheryl Haggarty) Lawrence, Robert (Barbara Cooper) Lawrence, Katherine (Phil) Roos, and Philip (Juana Gomez) Lawrence, and his nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren; thirteen step grandchildren, nine step great-grandchildren and many beloved relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 41 years Doris Normile Richter and his devoted second wife of 25 years Ann Trowbridge Lawrence Richter. A memorial service and celebration of Alfred’s life will be held in August 2026. Details to follow. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Cancer Wellness Center, Chicago, Illinois. https://www.cancerwellness.org/

Alfred Richter

August 3, 1926 - December 29, 2025

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