Bernd Stevens Richter

Bernd Stevens Richter, 53, passed over Sunday, November 13, 2005. Bernd was born March 17, 1952, in Dessau, Deutsche Demokratische Republik (East Germany) to Rudi and Hedwig Richter, living there and in Potsdam until 1992, when he came to Shelton, Washington. Bernd was a highly accomplished intellectual, earning both a PhD in Literature with Magna Cum Laude and a Dr. Phil.habil in Cultural Studies. He was fluent in his mother tongue, Russian and English, able to read, write, and tell funny stories in all three languages. He was a published author and editor in literary theory, history and cultural studies. He conducted research in international programs in the Soviet Union, Great Britain, Japan and at Oregon State University. It was as a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Fellow at Oregon State University in 1991 that he met his wife, Shannon. With his enthusiasm for learning and his brilliant teaching skills, he earned the love of students and the respect of colleagues on three continents during his 30-year career. He taught and was a university administrator in Germany from 1974-1992; in 1993 he taught for City University, The Evergreen State College (TESC) and South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC); he was a founding faculty at Miyazaki International College in Japan from 1994-1996; in 1996 he returned to the Pacific Northwest and taught at SPSCC, TESC and at Olympic College, where he had been a tenured faculty member since 1999, teaching foreign languages, detective story writing, Shakespeare, and American Studies. He wasn't all about books. He had a passionate, wide-ranging and well-informed love of music, from R.L. Burnside to Mahler, from punk rock to Argentinean tango, from Eric Clapton to Beethoven. He was a witty and intelligent conversationalist worthy of a Truman Capote or an Oscar Wilde. He happily spent hours at art exhibits, and took lessons in sketching and classical guitar. Although more intellectual than practical, he proudly helped build - and then move -- Shannon's writer's cottage. His greatest joy was in his family, whom he adored boisterously. He knit together a large and devoted international family when he married Shannon Widman Stevens on August 9, 1992. Shannon survives him, as do his daughters, Nora (Torsten) Richter, and Alison Berger; son Norman (Charlotte) Richter; stepsons Colin Stevens-Duffy, Corey and Darrin (Phyllis) Widman; grandchildren Arthur, Ferdinand, and Lena; step-grandchildren Racheal, Tyler, Jaymes, Calvin, Kyle, Megan, and Shannon. He is also survived by his brother Karl-Heinz (Susanna) Richter; and his nieces Anya, and Kerstin. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in his memory to: Mason County Search and Rescue. c/o Detective William Adam, Mason County Seriff's Office. P.O. Box 1037, Shelton, Washington, 98584-1037. German Shepherd Search Dogs of Washington State- GSSD. 14619 SE 192nd Street, Renton, Washington 98058-9420. Olympic Mountain Rescue. P.O. Box 4244, Bremerton, Washington 98312