Obituary of Gail Joan Richter

Gail Joan Richter, 83, of Howell, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by family on Sunday, December 15, 2019. Born in Montclair and raised in Irvington, she lived in Clark for 45 years before moving to Freehold in 2006. Gail graduated from the Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing in 1956 and spent the majority of her nursing career at Overlook Hospital in Summit followed by several years at Morris Home Care. Gail loved to travel with her husband and family, and collected magnets for her fridge from each new location. In addition to being a regular blood donor, she loved to read while sipping on a good cup of coffee, and never missed a chance to speak proudly of her Irish Heritage. Gail had a love of bowling which spanned decades. She bowled in weekly leagues out of Linden Lanes while living in Clark, and until the age of 82, bowled at Howell Lanes with the Surrey Downs Bowling Team. She looked forward to daily Scrabble games with her husband of 63 years (5,339 games to be exact!), card games with her grandchildren, as well as cheering on the New York Mets. Gail valued the importance of maintaining friendships and looked forward to regular lunches with fellow nursing school graduates. She was quick to send a card or handwritten letter to those she loved. Gail was predeceased by her parents, Edwin and Peg Semon, and her sister, Jacqueline M. Wheiler. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Donald R. Richter; four children, Eileen Walsh and her husband, Fran of North Plainfield, Kurt Richter and his wife, Maibel of Neptune, Eric Richter and his wife, Lorraine of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and Kelly Krawczyk and her husband, Rodney of Cream Ridge; eight grandchildren, Kelsey, Connor, Maggie, Maeve, Kristin, Michael, Sarah and Jake; six great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held at the Clayton & McGirr Funeral Home, 100 Elton-Adelphia Road (Route 524), Freehold Township on Sunday, December 22, 2019 from 2:00 to 6:00 PM. Relatives and friends are invited to attend her 10:00 AM Funeral Mass on Monday, December 23, 2019 at the Co-Cathedral of St.Robert Bellarmine, 61 Georgia Road, Freehold Township. Interment will follow at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veterans Cemetery, Arneytown. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Gail’s name may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com