Marian “Merrilee” Richter

Marian “Merrilee” Richter

She was born in Winthrop, MA to Leo and Ella Warshaw and died at her home in Mashpee MA at age 80 of natural causes.

She is survived by Dr. Robert Richter, her husband of 53 years and by her son Dr. Gregory Richter.

Merrilee was educated at the Cherry Lawn School (in Darien, CT), Adelphi University (BA), Wagner College (Masters degree in Infectious Disease and Public Health) and at NYU (PhD in Microbiology)

She was trained as a clinical microbiologist and directed hospital labs in NY and MA. She then worked at SmithKline Clinical Labs in Boston where she became the Associate Technical Director and regional information system manager; and later at headquarters in King of Prussia, PA where she was the National Manager of Lab Systems Planning. After 20 years at SmithKline, she became vice-president of the TrueNorth Group, a consultancy to the pharmaceutical industry for laboratory support of clinical trials, software development and strategic planning. She retired in 2011.

Those are the facts, but they don’t describe the person.

Merrilee was smart and funny with an innate sense of style. She loved to sing and did so in a Temple choir, and community Gilbert and Sullivan productions. She preferred folk music, choral music of any type, and Jewish music (both liturgical and secular). She had a lovely alto voice.

Cooking and eating well were her passions. She was never happier than when she was at the stove; whether hosting a large Passover or Thanksgiving meal, a communal Yom Kippur break the fast, or a simple dinner for two. Evenings out were almost always built around a restaurant meal.

She cherished her good friends and kept close to them even after she moved from Wayland to the Cape. They were a constant source of comfort to her. Merrilee’s relationships were longstanding and included friends from growing up in Winthrop; from high school and from college. She became a devoted Facebook user.

Merrilee was a lifelong learner who just devoured books and later in life, became more interested in her Jewish heritage. She studied Hebrew and Jewish history and became a Bat Mitzvah at age 72. It was one of her proudest moments.

Perhaps most of all, she was devoted to her family The main beneficiaries of her love were her late parents, her husband and son; but her love also enveloped her extended family of aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews. She was always giving, never asking for anything in return.

Merrilee suffered from severe chronic lung disease and from a stroke at age 76. She gracefully accepted her declining health. She never complained or was angry. She tried to find beauty in every day she was allowed to live.

She touched many people’s lives and will be missed by all of them.