Shirley Ann Richter

SHIRLEY ANN RICHTER, age 80 of Elysian, passed away at her home on the evening of Monday, December 11, 2023, following a long and difficult battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Shirley was born in Marshall County, Minnesota on March 3, 1943, to parents Kazemer and Mihalena (Wojak) Rajnowski.  She and her parents, three brothers: Clarence, Kazemer, and Sylvester, five sisters: Agnes, Sophie, Cecilia, Helen, and Antoinette, three half-brothers: John, Michael, and Joseph, four half-sisters: Eleanor, Marie, Delphine, and Veronica moved to Rock Falls, Illinois when Shirley was two years old.  She attended school in Rock Falls before her marriage to Jerome Duane Richter on February 15, 1969.  Her first priority was always her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.  She loved camping and hiking with her family.  She also enjoyed crocheting, quilting, dancing, and caring for babies.  She was a long-time active member of St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Elysian and she will be greatly missed by the many friends she made there over the years.

Shirley is survived by her devoted husband, Jerome Richter; her son, Duane (Kristy) Richter; her daughter, Saleen (Jacob) Tennis; five grandchildren, Charisse, Emily, Rachel, Alexander, and Darwin; and two great-grandchildren, Izaiah and Akaijah.  She was preceded in death by both of her parents; her son, David Richter; a great-granddaughter, Kiana Richter, and seventeen siblings.

Visitation will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, December 14, 2023 at the Waterville Chapel of Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service, and will continue for one hour before the service at the church on Friday.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Shirley’s memory should be directed to the National Alzheimer’s Association.