Dick B. Holter

Richard (Dick) Brian Holter was born on November 20, 1957, to Hazel (Haugo) Holter and Lloyd Holter in Grand Forks ND. Dick had three brothers, Michael, Jerry, and Tom, and one sister, Patricia (Holter) Hastings.  He attended school in East Grand Forks where he graduated high school in 1976.  Dick started working at the Robertson Truss Plant known as Highland Homes. while he was still in high school.  Dick always said that he went to the “hard knox college” learning the truss industry by doing different jobs. He started out in the plant sweeping floors, then started building trusses and eventually designing.  When Robertson’s closed in 1990, Dick went to work for Stu Johnson at GF Truss as a designer until the winter of 2018 when he became ill.  Dick used to say that he loved doing the houses with all the chopped-up designs, he loved challenging projects.

Dick had a love for music. He started teaching himself how to play the guitar in his parent’s basement when he was a teenager. In the late 70’s Dick along with Mark Ryan, Darren Thompson, Meryl Willert,Terry Moleski, and Larry Krueger started his first band called Sapphire. After Sapphire, Dick played with a band called Patterson Caine for a few years.  Dick then went on to play with Deuces Wild, The Rumor, and ended with the Wisegise.  Dick never read notes when he was learning songs. He would just listen to the song and figure out the notes as he listened.  Dick loved the Beatles and would play many of their songs. Penny Lane was his absolute favorite Beatles song. Dick was also known as the “Beatles walking encyclopedia”.  You could ask him anything about that band and he knew the answers. Dick was also known in the bands for his wacky sense of humor that could get everyone laughing.  In 2019, Dick started learning how to repair guitars, making trips to Winnipeg to learn the craft.  He then started RBH Guitars in his home where he took great pride in bringing life back into the beloved instruments.

In the spring of 1989, Dick met Lori Erickson while playing at the Meadowbrook in Middle River. They were married on April 19, 1997, in Roseau MN. Dick and Lori have two beautiful boys, Nicholas and Noah. They were his whole world. Dick loved sharing all the things he enjoyed with his boys, especially music, fishing, and watching favorite movies or shows over and over again. Dick loved watching the Honeymooners, Columbo, Karate Kid, Monsters Inc, and Toy Story and would often recite lines from the shows to make us all laugh. Dick was so proud of his boys and took great pride when watching them perform in their activities. He would often just send a quick text to them to tell them he was proud of them or that he loved them. Dick would oftentimes bring out his guitar and play for the boys, especially when Noah was having a hard time falling asleep.  In his basement, he started setting up an area for the boys to play instruments with him. He always wanted to put the Holter boys together in a band. For 20 years Dick, Lori, and the boys could be found on the weekends at Union Lake Campground where they made friends that became family. The weekends were filled with fishing, swimming, hanging out, laughing, and just enjoying the peacefulness of the lake. There was a saying at the lake when we would come in from fishing. Our friends would ask how the fishing was and Dick’s reply was always “I got three crappies in the live well.”  Dick and Lori were divorced on June 7, 2013; however, they remained a family while co-parenting the boys.

Dick became ill in the winter of 2018. He made a recovery and just recently started having some health issues again. Dick passed away on Friday, June 18^th, 2021 at his home in Grand Forks with his son Nicholas and sister Patty by his side.  Dick is survived by his sons Nicholas and Noah, and their mother, Lori.  His brother Jerry and his wife Linda, his sister Patricia (Patty) Hastings along with nephews Terry (Amy) Holter, Shawn (Wendi) Holter and Robert Hastings. Nieces: Tammy (Holter) Torres, Laurie (Holter) George, Tina (Holter) Andrews, Jenny (Holter) Schjervheim, Lianne (Hastings) Johnson, and Katie Hastings. His God-daughters, Britain Holter and Brooklynn Holter. Lori’s parents Barb and Leon (Darrel) Erickson.  Along with several great-nieces and nephews and extended family and friends. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, Hazel and Lloyd Holter, brothers Tom Holter and Michael Holter, and his beloved nieces Krissy Holter and Shannon Holter.  

A memorial service will be held 11:00 AM Friday, July 2, 2021 at Amundson Funeral Home of Grand Forks. Visitation will be for the hour before the service in the funeral home.