Ellen Beatrice "Bea" Franke Richter of Hondo, 94, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. Born in Uvalde24, Jan. 30, 1922, she was the daughter of Herman August and Alma Elfriede Wiederanders Franke. Ellen Beatrice Franke Richter grew up on a ranch near Uvalde, TX during the Great Depression. She was a resident of San Antonio, TX, where she practiced nursing until 1961. Following an Associate's degree from Texas Lutheran Junior College (Seguin, TX), she received her registered nurse training at John Sealy School of Nursing (Galveston, TX) in 1944. She served in the Army Nurse Corps for fourteen months, received a BS degree in Nursing Education from Incarnate Word College (San Antonio) and a Master's degree in Nursing Education and Hospital Administration from Catholic University (Washington D. C.), after which she was Director of Nursing Service at Santa Rosa Hospital in San Antonio. In 1961, Bea changed her profession to public school teaching for a more convenient schedule as she raised her two boys. Her husband, Troy, died in 1969. She retired from teaching in 1982. Bea enjoyed writing and published four books of poetry: Lamentations of a Small Investor, Reflections of a Small Investor, Barney, and The Gathering Place. She collaborated on some genealogy works with her sister, Gertrude Franke, and has published her own, An Ever Widening Circle. She also wrote Group Nursing and In Her Steps, related to her nursing career. (This short bio is taken from her last book, In Her Steps, published in 2015.) Bea is survived by her eldest son and daughter-in-law, Paul and Beverly Richter, and their children, Matthew and Danny, as well as younger son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Kathy Richter, and their daughter, Haley. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, William Troy Richter; and brothers, Edwin, Sidney and Clarence Franke; and sisters, Gertrude Franke and Gladys George. Funeral service will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m., at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Hondo, followed by interment at Uvalde Cemetery. The family suggests memorials may be made to the Dr. Arthur G. and Mrs. Elfrieda Langner Wiederanders Scholarhip Fund at Texas Lutheran University, 1000 West Court St., Seguin TX 78155. The family would like to thank Eva Gonzalez, Nancy Velasquez, and Alma Olivarez for the kindness and compassion they gave to Bea as they cared for her. Special thanks to Josephine Toynette for her guidance and support during the past two years.