Donald P. Richter

RICHTER, DONALD P.
At his passing on January 25, 2016, at the age of 91, he was counsel to the law firm of Murtha Cullina LLP in Hartford, Connecticut. His early years in law were spent at the New York firm of Winthrop, Stimson, Putnam & Roberts. He later joined the predecessor of Murtha Cullina in 1952 and became a Senior Partner in 1969. He was admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York. During his career, he was recognized for his special expertise in the area of closely held corporations and served as counsel to and a director of many such corporations. He was a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and served on the Executive Committee of the Section of Taxation of the Connecticut Bar Association. He was identified in the book "The Best Lawyers in America" as a distinguished tax lawyer in Connecticut. Attorney Richter often observed that, while the law was his profession, education was his passion. That passion was initially fueled in winning a four-year full tuition scholarship to Bates College while working as a grinder at Stanley Tools in New Britain. At Bates College, he competed on the Varsity Debate squad of Bates' undefeated Varsity Debating Team, and was elected to Delta Sigma Rho, the National Honorary Debating Society. He graduated from Bates College in 1947, and was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He graduated from Yale Law School in 1950. He showed his passion for education during his 32-year tenure as a Trustee of Bates College and his 28 years as a Trustee of Suffield Academy, where he served as Board President for seven years. At the conclusion of his Board Presidency at Suffield Academy, his fellow Trustees funded the annual "Richter Award for Excellence in Teaching" in his honor. To continue his commitment to education he accepted the newly elected position of Chairman of the Advisory Board of the WALKS Foundation, a consortium of Independent Schools in the Greater Hartford area dedicated to providing scholarship assistance to able but economically disadvantaged students. For many years, Attorney Richter also served Hartford Seminary as Trustee, Vice-Chairman, Member of the Board of Sponsors and President's Council. He was among the founders of Manchester Community College, and helped in the establishment of the Odyssey School, a magnet school in Manchester. After he became counsel to his law firm, he assumed responsibility for the administration of the Manchester Rotary Club Reading Program at Washington School in Manchester. He was active in the reading program and cherished the large number cards and letters from the students to whom he read in Grades 4 or 5 over a period of 13 years. Attorney Richter was especially involved with the YMCA of Metropolitan Hartford, where he served for many years as a Director, a Trustee, and, for seven years, as President of the Board of Directors. In 1987, he was awarded the "Robert C. Knox Distinguished Leadership Award". A member of the Manchester Rotary Club for more than 40 years, he served as President and was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 1997. His other community activities included Trusteeship at Manchester Memorial Hospital for over 30 years; Trustee and Officer of the Silver Bay Association, the YMCA Christian Conference Center of the Northeast; Trustee of Church Homes, Inc., and Director of World Affairs Council. He was listed in "Who's Who in America" and "Who's Who in American Lawyers." Among his club memberships were University Club, the Hartford Club, the Newcomen Society, and The Twentieth Century Club.
Prior to his career in law, he served as a Naval Officer in the Pacific after completing his V-12 program during World War II aboard the U.S.S. Agawam AOG(6). He was successively Gunnery Officer, Navigation Officer and Executive Officer. As a Congregationalist, Attorney Richter served his church, Center Church in Manchester, variously as Moderator, Chairman of Prudential Committee and Trustee. He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Jane "Penny" Richter, his brother Robert Richter of Hendersonville, NC, and his children, Cynthia Richter of Monroe, CT, and Christopher Richter of Vienna, Austria, and Rehoboth Beach, DE. He was born to Paul and Helen Richter in New Britain, Connecticut on February 15, 1924. Arrangements are being handled by Holmes Funeral Home of Manchester, CT. Internment will be private with a Memorial Service to be held on Wednesday February 3, 2016 at 11:00 AM at Center Congregational Church, 11 Center St. in Manchester. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the YMCA of Metropolitan Hartford, 241 Trumbull St., Hartford, CT. 06103 and Suffield Academy, 185 North Main St., Suffield, CT. 06078 would be appreciated. To sign the online register book go to www.holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com .




Service DetailsWednesday, February 3rd, 2016 11:00am, Center Congregational Church
Interment DetailsRose Hill Memorial Park