Charles Albert Rickter, a former owner of a Northeast Baltimore cafe, died Monday of kidney failure at his home in Palm Harbor, Fla. He was 77.

Mr. Rickter was born and raised in Northeast Baltimore and attended city public schools. During World War II, he served with an Army infantry unit in Europe. He was discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1944.

He worked as a refrigeration expert at the Hendler's Ice Cream plant in the 1100 block of E. Baltimore St. until joining several brothers in the operation of Rickter's Cafe at Biddle Street and Milton Avenue.

The brothers moved the business in 1977 to Belair Road and sold it in 1997.

A former Perry Hall resident who moved to Palm Harbor in 2001, Mr. Rickter enjoyed goose hunting at his hunting lodge on the Eastern Shore. He also was an avid baseball fan.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Parkville post of the American Legion.

Mr. Rickter was a former communicant of St. Matthews Roman Catholic Church.

Services were held yesterday in Palm Harbor.

Mr. Rickter is survived by his wife of 57 years, the former Mary Evelyn Burke; four daughters, Sharon Henderson of Indian Rocks Beach, Fla., Jeanne Routh of New Port Richey, Fla., Roxanne Wright of Clearwater, Fla., and Christine Eames of St. Petersburg, Fla.; two brothers, Albert Rickter and Harry Rickter, both of Baltimore; and six grandchildren.