Robert Vernon "R.V." Richter

Service for Robert Vernon “R.V.” Richter, Jr., 90, of Keene will be conducted at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, April 30, 2016 at Joshua Crossroad Fellowship Seventh-day Adventist Church in Joshua. Pastor Janet Howard and Pastor Henry Reid will officiate. Burial will be in Rosehill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6-8:00 P.M., Friday, at the funeral home.
Robert Vernon Richter, Jr. was born about five miles west of Sweetwater on March 27, 1926. His parents, Robert Vernon and Merle Francis moved when R.V. was about two to Keene, and as he said, I’ve been there ever since.” He was the first born of three-Patricia (Pat) followed him, and then Wanda.
R.V.’s family lived on a farm which joined his grandparent’s farm, so family was always very dear and special to him. He attended Keene Elementary from 1932 on and graduated from the 10th grade in 1942. The Army drafted him in October of 1942, and he remained in the service until November of 1946.
R.V. was in the 37th Infantry on the front lines in the Lucon Islands in the Phillipines. The first morning he was there, they were fired upon by the enemy. The battle was so fierce he believed he was going to die, and that this would be the last day of his life. Up until that time, he had not focused on the Lord or his spiritual life at all. However, he cried out to the Lord in that battle and asked for forgiveness and prayed to be spared. In return he promised the Lord that he would serve him the rest of his life. And he has done just that. He felt very blessed to have been spared when so many lost their lives.
Upon returning to the United States, he came to Cleburne and worked for the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company. He worked for them for 23 years and retired from that company.
While still in elementary school, at the age of 16, he met a 14 year old girl who was working at a café in Cleburne. Her name was Addie Willis. He was working at a broom factory in Keene, and when he got off work early on Friday afternoon, he went to eat at the café. They enjoyed each other’s company so much that they were married on Sept. 13, 1947, and settled in the country in the Cleburne area.
When R.V. was overseas, his mother and older sister joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His older sister joined later. R.V. and Addie joined the Baptist Church and faithfully served there. He taught Sunday School for years and was a Deacon for over 30 years. He was called in 1972 to work at Lane Prairie Baptist Church as the Children’s Leader and Music Director.
One Wednesday, after a Bible study he was looking up a verse. It so happened that John, Chapters 1 and 2, was on the same page. His eyes fell on Chapter 2. A verse in Chapter 2 points out that those who say they love the Lord but do not keep his commandments are liars and the truth is not in them. The Holy Spirit spoke to R.V., and he was inspired to believe that he had not been keeping all the commandments. He further came to believe that this was his last chance to “get it right with God”. He began attending the Crossroads Fellowship Seventh-day Adventist Church in Joshua, and he joined that church by Profession of Faith in August of 2008.
His new-found relationship with his Lord, and the warmth of that church led him to say, “I love the church here. I am so grateful God led me here. It is the right place for me to be.”
R.V. is survived by his wife, Addie of 68 years; his three children, Gregory Richter, Gail Wilkins and husband Rick, and Debbie Rempel and husband Randy; four grandchildren, Shelly Boggs, Mauri Moore and husband Shayne, Shane Boggs, and Joey Rempel and wife, Kristy; three great grandchildren, Curran Boggs, Liam Rempel, and Abigail Hope Rempel; two sisters, Pat Hulquist and Wanda DeLaune; and several aunts, nieces, nephews, and cousins. His spiritual legacy lives after him.