Edward “Ed” A. Ritter, 95, of Whitewater passed away on Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at the Rainbow Hospice Inpatient Center in Johnson Creek.
Ed was born on January 28, 1925, on
the family farm in the Town of Lincoln, Forest County, Wisconsin, son
of Ray and Clara (nee Patzke) Ritter. He was baptized and confirmed
in St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Crandon. Ed graduated from
the Crandon High School in 1942. During World War II, he served in
the army, discharged as a Staff Sgt., and later in the Army Reserve,
discharged as a 2nd. Lt.. In 1955 he married Joan
Malchine, Wind Lake, in Norway Lutheran Church. Together they had
three sons: Michael, Phillip, and Stephen.
He was a long-standing active member
of First English Lutheran Church where he taught Sunday school and
7th grade confirmation for many years, served two terms on
the church council and as president of the congregation, and served
one term on the Church Synod Council. He was a member of William
Graham Post 0173 American Legion, Whitewater, past member of Kiwanis
Breakfast Club of Whitewater, and member and officer of the former
Kettle Moraine Poultry Club and the Whitewater Gourmet Club.
Ed received his BE degree from
Whitewater State Teachers College and his ME degree from Marquette
University. While attending college he was an active member of Chi
Delta Rho (state) and Delta Kappa (national) social fraternities and
Pi Omega Pi (undergraduate) and Delta Pi Epsilon (graduate)
scholastic fraternities. Thirty-seven years of his life were devoted
to education: seven years at Rochester, Wisconsin where he taught
business education and English, thirty years with the Whitewater
Unified School District where he taught business education and served
two years at the first Business Manager of the district, and many
years with Gateway Technical College evening program where he taught
adult classes of accounting. During his teaching career, he was an
active member of the Whitewater, Wisconsin, and National Education
Associations, and the Wisconsin Business Teachers Association. Upon
retirement in 1987, he became a member of the Wisconsin and the
Walworth County Area Retired Educators Association, serving for
thirteen years as treasurer of the County group.
His other interests were poultry and
furniture refinishing. Since moving to the little farm on South
Franklin Street, Ed had raised thousands of bantams, standard
chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese. Hatching eggs and baby chicks
were sent to fanciers throughout the United States and birds were
exhibited at the Wisconsin State Fair and at various Poultry Shows.
Ed is survived by his sons, Michael Ritter of Whitewater, Phillip (Karin) of Menomonee Falls, Stephen (Camille) Ritter of Muskego; seven grandchildren, David, Nicholas, Bryan, Jacob, Bryce, Theodore, Lauren; sisters-in-law, Donna Hanson, Doris Malchine; many nieces and nephews-in-law, cousins and friends.
He is preceded in death by his wife,
Joan; his first wife, Linda (nee Bjorstrom); his parents; sister,
Margaret; father-and mother-in-law Johnalbert and Esther Malchine;
brothers-in-law Donald Hanson and John Malchine.
Funeral services will take place at 11 a.m. on February 22, 2020 at First English Lutheran Church in Whitewater, with Rev. Steve Hanson and Rev. Jerald Wendt officiating. Visitation will be held at the church from 9 a.m. until the time of services. Burial with military honors will be at Hillside Cemetery in Whitewater following services.
Memorials can be made in Ed’s name
to First English Lutheran Church.
The Nitardy Funeral Home is
assisting the family with arrangements.
www.nitardyfuneralhome.com
