Michael Anthony Richter III

Michael Anthony Richter III, age 75, of Centerville, Maryland, passed away on March 15, 2026. Michael was born on June 13, 1950, to the late Michael A. Richter Jr. and Mary Louise Wonneman. He married Sharon Saquella on May 29, 2005 and together they enjoyed 21 years of a loving marriage. Michael graduated from Severna Park High School in 1968. He then entered the United States Navy. There he was assigned to the USS New Orleans (LPH-11), where he worked as a Radioman. During his military career, Michael was stationed at Yankee Station, Vietnam, as well as Guam. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal as well as the Vietnam Service Medal. Michael was honorably discharged after four years of active duty as a Radioman 3rd class. After the Navy, Michael entered service with NASA as a Federal contractor. His first assignment was in Voice Control at the Goddard Space Flight Center. He supported most of the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. He eventually became a Federal Government employee in the NASA Communication(Nascom) Division. He served as a Communications Director supporting the NASA Space Shuttle program and their launches. When his daughter, Michelle, was young, she was interviewed by The Bay Times, telling the reporter, “My Daddy talks to the astronauts”—which he occasionally did. He was most proud of his part in the Space Shuttle program, which he was involved with from before the first one launched to the day the Space Shuttle was retired. Michael then accepted a position as a Communications Mission Planner that supported NASAs Space Science Directorate at the GSFC. He supported NASA both as a contractor and Government employee from 1973 - 2013. In his spare time, Michael enjoyed making and launching model rockets, boating, fishing, and crabbing. He loved riding motorcycles from the time he was a teen, often commuting from Kent Island to NASA Goddard in Greenbelt, MD. Michael is survived by his wife, Sharon Richter; his daughters, Michelle (Jared) Smith and Megan Richter, and their mother, Pam Preston; and his stepchildren, Victoria Harrell and Peter (Sarah) Saquella. He is also survived by six grandchildren—Caroline, Grayson, Hayden, Harper, Karter, and Kamryn—and five step-grandchildren—Payton, Emerson, Violetta, Lucia, and Jack. He is also survived by his brother, John (Dawn) Richter Jr.; his sister, Joanne Triantafillides; his aunt, Helen Burtner; as well as various nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, donations in Michael’s name may be made to the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department at 1610 Main Street, Chester, MD 21619, Compass Hospice at 255 Comet Drive, Centerville, MD 21617, or the Kent Island Methodist Church Love Fund at P.O. Box 308, Chester, Maryland 21619.

Michael Anthony Richter III

June 13, 1950 - March 15, 2026