Gowned in white chiffon marquisette, Miss Irene Frieda Thiele, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank W. Thiele, became the bride of Radioman Bernard H. Richter, U.S.N., son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis J. Richter. Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock, June 13, at St. Mary's church n Ashton. Msgr. E. J. Neppl officiated at the double ring ceremony in the presence of relatives and friends.

Sr. M. Albertine played the wedding march while the bridal couple and attendants entered the church proceeding into the sanctuary, where the vows of matrimony were pronounced.

St. Mary's choir, of which Miss Thiele was a member, sang the St. Francis mass accompanied by Sr. M. Albertine.

The bride's gown was fashioned with a lace yoke trimmed with seed pearls and had a shined bodice from which the full skirt fell. Her fingertip veil was held in place with a halo of seed pearls. She carried a bouquet of white carnations and swansonia.

The bridesmaid, sister of the bride, was Phyllis Thiele. She was dressed in a blue Jersey gown with shirred bodice. Her corsage was of pink carnations. The bridegroom and best man were dressed in U. S. Nava uniforms.

The ushers, Robert Thiele and Norbert Richter, both wore white carnation boutonnieres.

Following the ceremony a reception was held at the home of the bride's parents. A three-tier wedding cake centered the bride's table, topped with a dove, holding the double rings and decorations. The cake was baked by the bride's sister, Mrs. Joe Berning Jr. of Hartley.

Both the bride and bridegroom are well-known young people of the Ashton community, having received their education in St. Joseph's parochial school. The bridegroom has been serving in the U. S. Navy for the past three years. The couple will live in Seattle, Wash.

Source - Sibley Gazette-Tribune - Jun 29, 1944

Irene F. Richter, age 90 of Ashton, IA died Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at Country View Manor in Sibley, IA.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM Saturday, December 15, 2012 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ashton, with Father John Vakulskas as celebrant. Burial will follow in the St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery in Ashton.

Visitation will be Friday, December 14th from 2-8 PM with family present from 6-8 PM at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Ashton. There will be a rosary at 4:00 PM and a vigil service at 7:00 PM Friday evening at the church.

Irene Frieda Richter was born on March 1, 1922, the daughter of Frank and Anna (Schulte) Thiele, in Breda, Iowa. Her childhood years were spent growing up on a farm near Ashton, Iowa. In 1944 she was married to Bernard Richter, and to this union ten children were born. Bernard passed away in 1967, leaving Irene with the youngest children ranging in age from seventeen years to two months. She was the Ashton news correspondent for the Sibley Gazette, Catholic Globe, and Worthington Globe for many years. Irene was Ashton St. Mary's organist for fifty-three years, and was choir director for the Men's Choir, Children's Choir and Adult Combined Choir. She was well known in the area for the bands that she formed, including the Swingtones, Sound of Silver and Express 97. Irene also volunteered at area retirement homes entertaining the residents with her gift of music. She was the pianist for the American Legion Auxiliary, where she was a member for fifty-six years and formed the Legion Auxiliary group "Vocal Expressions". She was also a fifty plus year member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. Previously she was secretary of the DeBoer Grocery Museum and a member of St. Mary's Guild.

Leaving her children a lasting legacy of a deep faith in eternal life are: Sharon (Gary) Niichel, Rochester, MN, Karen (Gary) Trei, Sibley, IA, Callan Richter, Union Grove, WI, Colette (Stewart) McCollum, Indian Trail, NC, Bonnie (Terry) Gregg, Sibley, IA, Michael (Karen) Richter, Orange City, IA, Judy (Bill) Schierholz, Brandon, SD, Annette (Brad) Seivert, Dawson, MN and Jeffrey Richter, Spirit Lake, IA. Also surviving are twenty-five grandchildren and thirty-five great-grandchildren, her brother-in-law, Jim Streit, and three sisters-in-law, Zita Thiele, Kathleen Richter, and Marian Richter.

Irene was preceded in death by her husband Bernard, their infant son, Perry, her parents, brothers and sisters, Ed, Mary, Hildegarde, Levine, Father Bob, Phyllis, Floyd and Augusta, also granddaughter, Shelly Niichel and a great-grandson, Adam Huls.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.