Bernard J. Richter, 92, of Kearney died Tuesday, December 17, 2013, at Good Samaritan Society-St. John's in Kearney.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, December 23, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney. Father Alex Borzych will officiate. Burial will be at Prairie Center Cemetery at Haven's Chapel, north of Kearney. Horner Lieske McBride & Kuhl Funeral and Cremation Services are in charge of arrangements.

Bernard was born February 20, 1921, in Kearney to John and Gertrude (Altmaier) Richter. He attended rural school in Buffalo County and graduated from Kearney High School. He attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and graduated from Kearney State College.

On October 10, 1942, he married Jean Wolf in Osborne, KS. He served as superintendent at Riverdale, NE, and principal at Tilden Public Schools after graduating from college. Bernard purchased a farm north of Kearney in 1949 where he farmed and resided all of his life. He was a pioneer in bringing deep well irrigation to Buffalo County and in promoting the construction of a main line (Kansas-Nebraska) to power the deep well irrigation. His well was the first deep well drilled in the area to be powered by Natural Gas.

Bernard was a licensed broker for insurance, securities investments and real estate. He was active in real estate for over 25 years and was involved in many farms being developed for pivot irrigation by farmers throughout Nebraska.

He was a member of St. James Catholic Church, served on the School Board and was a 4-H leader.

Surviving relatives include his son, Tim and wife Eileen Richter of Kearney; daughters, Barbara Fuller and husband Jim of Lincoln, Teresa Jackson and husband John of Clemmons, NC, Jennifer Emanuel of Laguna Niguel, CA, Julie Vitosh, of Beatrice, NE; grandchildren, Kristen Richter of Kearney, Brent and wife Hannah Richter of Highlands Ranch, CO, Stephanie Richter of Redding, CA, Melissa Tompkins and husband Joel of Syracuse, NE, Jaime Cartwright and husband Luke of Omaha, NE, Michelle Jackson of Omaha, NE, Alex Emanuel of Santa Monica, CA, Elizabeth Emanuel of Winston-Salem, NC, Delanie and Austin Vitosh of Beatrice, NE; great grandchildren, Colton, Camryn, Charys and Chessa Tompkins, and Josalinn and Dean Richter; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Neva Richter of Kearney, Dale and Clarice Wolf of Wilmington, DE, Donna and Glenn Kegley of Kearney; Norma and Dick Spady of Hastings; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife Jean in 2013 and brother Robert in 1974.