Walter Reinhold Richter

Walter Reinhold Richter of San Diego passed away on Sunday, February 25 at the age of 93.

Walt was the embodiment of the American Dream. Raised on a farm in Salado, Texas, nothing made it onto his family’s dinner plates that wasn’t grown, caught or shot by someone in the family. As it turned out, Walt could run like the wind, so he joined his high school football team in secrecy, hoping his father wouldn’t admonish his pursuit because he was needed on the farm. On the opening night of the season, his father showed up on the sidelines and told dejected Walt to get home before the game began.

After high school Walt joined the U.S. Navy and was stationed in San Diego. On leave, he went home to Texas and met the love of his life, Mary Ann Kalmbach. When discharged from the service, he hurried home, married his sweetheart, and they moved to San Diego on their honeymoon. When they arrived, they had enough money left for the first month’s rent and a bag of groceries. But they had grand dreams.

Walt soon joined the San Diego Police force as a traffic officer. He was anxious to climb the ladder out of poverty into middle class America, home ownership and raising a family. After nine years on the police force, Walt found his occupational heart for education, and earned a degree from San Diego State University. During his long and rewarding career, Walt mentored students in driver training, drug and sex education, and career counseling. He was adored for his humorous yet caring style of teaching. In the classroom and beyond, Walt brought light and laughter into every human interaction. His joy for life was contagious.  As both Walt and Mary Ann were teachers with summer breaks, they took long cross-country summer vacations with their sons Brian and Brad, visiting national parks as well as relatives in Texas.

Once retired from teaching, he and Mary Ann formed their own successful real estate company and enjoyed traveling the world and cruises. They both enjoyed playing tennis and continued playing well into their 70’s.

Walt is survived by his wife Mary Ann; Brian and his wife Martha and son Henry; Brad and his husband Dean. We all grieve his passing but our faces beam with the memory of a man who chose no boundaries, and in the process infected so many with his laughter and love of life.