Audrey Richter

Audrey Ann (Winans) Richter, 90, passed away peacefully on November 8, 2025, after a short but courageous battle with cancer. She was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother whose presence brought warmth and joy to all who knew her.

Audrey was born on October 22, 1935, in Flandreau, SD. She attended Verdi Elementary and High School, graduating in 1953, and later attended the Minnesota School of Business in Minneapolis, MN. She began her career as a secretary in the Pathology Department at St. Luke's Hospital in St. Paul, where she worked for four years.

In May of 1957, adventure called, and Audrey moved to Montana, where she worked at the Lake McDonald Hotel in Glacier National Park. During that memorable summer, she met William "Bill" Richter, who soon became the love of her life. The two were married on July 26, 1958, in St. Paul, MN, and began their married life together in Minneapolis, where Audrey worked at Abbott Hospital while Bill completed his studies.

In 1959, the couple moved to Beloit, WI, for Bill's first teaching position. There, they settled into family life, raising their two children, Annette and Dan. In 1968, they made their home in Rochester, MN, where Audrey began working at Kersten's Furs. She dedicated twenty years to her work there, retiring in 1988. A highlight of her retirement was spending time at their family cabin outside of Turtle Lake, WI.

Audrey was a woman of strength, grace, and determination. She faced every challenge in life with courage and dignity and was a source of inspiration to everyone who knew her. A woman of deep faith, she instilled in her children the importance of family, hard work, and doing what is right.

Her home was her heart. She loved gardening, sewing, knitting, reading, bird watching, and always had a bag of cookies ready for her husband and family. Audrey and Bill generously opened their home to those traveling to Mayo Clinic for medical care, offering comfort and kindness to those in need. Her warm spirit, compassion, and generosity touched the lives of many, and her legacy of love will live on through her family and all who were blessed to know her.

Audrey was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Anne Winans, and her brother, Roger Winans. She is survived by her sisters, Norma (Don) Young and Linda (Jerry) Floden; her loving husband of 67 years, Bill Richter; her daughter Annette (Perre) Wimmer; her son Dan (Denise) Richter; four grandchildren, Andrew (Kenzie) Wimmer; John Wimmer, Evan Richter, and Leah Richter; and two great grandchildren, Finley and Addison Wimmer.

Visitation will be held on November 20th from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Ranfranz Funeral Home located at 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester, MN 55901, and the funeral service will be held on November 21st at 11:00 a.m. at The Congregational Church located at 974 Skyline Dr SW, Rochester, MN 55902, with visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. A private burial for immediate family will follow the service.

Memorials may be made to Mayo Hospice or The Congregational Church.

Audrey's love, faith, and kindness will remain in the hearts of all who were privileged to share in her life.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Richter family. To share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com