James Bennie Richter

He joined the Civil Air Patrol when he was in high school and took flying lessons through the CAP in a 1947 two-seater yellow J-3 Piper Cub. He earned his pilot’s license through the CAP. Later he enlisted in the Navy. After the Navy, he completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Accounting through a dual-enrollment at Cal State University, Los Angeles and University of California, Los Angeles. While in his first semester at CSULA, he got a job in the business office of Viewpark Community Hospital where he met Lois, his wife of 57 years. They lived in California, Georgia, Arizona, Alberta and British Columbia,Canada during their married life. They loved traveling and have been to all but five U.S. states, eight of the ten Canadian provinces, and many European and Asian countries.

Before retirement, he was an entrepreneur and owned his own roofing business. Earlier in his career, he was the CFO of Universal Roofers, worked in Saudi Arabia for Fluor Daniels, was the General Manager of ATCO in Canada, and was an accountant for Price Waterhouse. He worked long hours to support his family, his love of new cars, boats, and his wife’s shopping! He was an avid golfer, loved water and snow skiing, and was active in the Republican party.

His wife, Lois Richter; his mother; his father; his stepfather Angel Ruenes; brother, Billy Richter; and sister, Betty Vaupel, predeceased him.

He is survived by son, Mark and daughter-in-law, Susie Richter of Huntington Beach, CA; daughter, Teri and son-in-law, David McGraw of Senoia, GA; and six grandchildren, Megan Jordan (Conner), Brody, Lance, and Hayden Richter; MacKenzie Dalton (Michael) and Ian McGraw. He also survived by three great- granddaughters, Olivia and Ava Dalton, and Madeline Jordan.

His legacy will live on in the lives of his loved ones.