Ilrid Richards

Ilrid Richards, born Ilrid Christina Seed on March 18, 1971, passed away in March 2026. The daughter of Eva and James Seed, she grew up in East Greenwich, Rhode Island, where she embraced life with fearless joy, whether dressing as Wonder Woman and racing down her childhood driveway, skiing at Sugarloaf in Maine, or exploring the beaches of Narragansett. She spent cherished summers in Göteborg, Sweden, with her grandparents Inga and Lars Wahlström alongside her brothers Jonas and Adam, learning to crab, laugh freely, and deepening her lifelong connection to her Swedish heritage. Visits to her other grandparents, Fred and Grace Seed, in the Twin Cities gave her an early appreciation for Minneapolis and its lakes.

A passionate fan of 80s hair metal and pop music, from Bon Jovi and Mötley Crüe to Prince, Tears for Fears, and Phil Collins, Ilrid carried that love with her to the University of Denver. After college she moved to Minneapolis, where she worked at Warner Bros. Records, attended countless concerts, met musicians backstage, and gathered stories she would later share with her children. She fell in love with the city’s lakes, particularly walking Lake Harriet with quiet devotion. There she met Nancy, who would become her mother-in-law, and through a blind date began a life with Nancy’s son, Fritz. They married after 18 months and welcomed two sons, Wyatt and Gavin.

Ilrid showed her love for her children through her enthusiastic presence in their lives. She supported Gavin’s ski racing with unwavering commitment, often standing alone halfway up the hill in her long white coat, camera on a monopod, despite her famously cold hands and feet. She attended Wyatt’s lacrosse tournaments with the same grace and eagerness to be part of every moment. Her world grew even brighter with the arrival of her devoted cavapoo, Elsa, and she balanced family life with her Swedish-inspired craft business, Ilrid Vikings.

Few people found more joy in life’s simple pleasures than Ilrid: a walk around the lake, dinner at sunset, or the contentment of seeing a loved one’s face after time apart. She never lost her sense of awe for the beauty of the world around her, a quality that drew people to her and left those who knew her feeling deeply fortunate. She is survived by her husband Fritz, sons Wyatt and Gavin, her parents, brothers, and extended family who will carry her spirit of wonder and enthusiasm forward.