| Richard Ritz |
Richard G. Ritz, 89, of Ashton, died Thursday, July 11, 2024 at CHI Health—Good Samaritan in Kearney.
Services were held on Wednesday, July 17, 2024 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Loup City. Vicar Jason Obermiller and Rev. Dean Hanson officiated.
Kirk and Lisa Harrington, John and Jane Maschka, and John and Therese Hulinsky were the musicians. Selections included “Simple Man,” performed by John Maschka, “Amazing Grace,” and “On Eagle’s Wings.”
Casketbearers were Clark Ritz, Neil Ritz, Stuart Dean, Jon Dean, Doug Shepperd, and Joe Hulinsky. Honorary bearers were the Class of 1953, Bob Piechota, Carol Bandur, Phyllis Piechota, and Shirley Glinsmann Ficken.
Julie Dush provided the visitation music. Selections included “How Great Thou Art” and “Beyond the Sunset.”
Burial was in the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City.
Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul assisted the family.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be given to Immanuel Lutheran Church or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Richard was born June 16, 1935, at Arcadia, the son of Clarence “C.J. “and Alma M. (Knoepfel) Ritz. The family later moved to Ashton, where Richard graduated from Ashton High School in 1953. He married Sally Wyrick on December 19, 1959 in Tennessee. Two children were born to this union, Kelly and Penny.
He later married Marge (Janda) Jasnoch on May 13, 1989 at Loup City.
Over the years Richard drove truck for his Uncle Hank and was a lineman in Colorado, hauling heavy equipment. He welded all over the country, including at the dam in Valentine. He had his own grinder and ground feed locally. He managed the Farwell Elevator, later buying and running the Ashton Elevator. He owned and operated Ritz Land & Cattle. He loved traveling to Wyoming and buying large quantities of calves. He also had part ownership in the Loup City Sale Barn.
His favorite saying was “That’s a hell of a deal”. No one could tell a story like Richard Ritz. He was a champion storyteller. He loved to keep in touch with everyone.
He and Marge enjoyed going to Arizona for the winter months and bringing treasures back for everyone. He enjoyed having his great-grandchildren stop over to give them candy out of his candy bowl...which he always made sure was full. He was very involved for many years at the Immanuel Lutheran Church.
He is survived by his wife, Marge of Ashton; daughter and son in-law, Penny and Jac Smith of Central City; daughterin- law, Cara Smydra of St. Paul; grandchildren, Tyler and Holly Ritz of Kearney, Trevor and Megan Ritz of Ashton, and Jacie and Lance Boelts of Central City; step-daughter, Jaci Jasnoch, and step-son, John and Debbie Jasnoch, all of Gurnee, Illinois; step grandchildren, Kinsey, Drew, Kylie, and Hallie Jasnoch; great-grandchildren, Chance, Chael, Carenna, and Cassidy Ritz, Celia and Declan Ritz, Ashtyn and Carter Boelts, Kaia, Spencer, Vincent, and Melody Morse; sister and brothers-in-law, Ellen and Richard Erganian of Fresno, California and Larry Shepperd of Mills; sister in-law, Faye Wyrick of Kenton, Tennessee; brothers-in-law, Dick and Kathy Janda of Lincoln and Ken Janda of Lemon Grove, California; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Alma; brother, Clarence Ritz; sister, Carol Shepperd; son, R. Kelly Ritz; and grandson, Brett Morse.