Alvin 'Red' Ritz
Alvin “Red” Ritz passed away on the thirteenth day of this January, 2012. He was surrounded by family as he died in the Presbyterian Home in Utica.
Red was born in Old Forge January 21, 1920 and narrowly escaped his ninety-second birthday.
As a young man, Alvin Ritz was a natural baseball talent and a graduate of the Town of Webb School.
He became the very picture of a native Adirondacker; a hard worker and most importantly an excellent husband, father, hunter and fisherman.
His early summers were spent on the “pickle boat” helping to distribute supplies along the lower Fulton Chain of Lakes.In service to his country he enlisted with the Air Corp in December of 1942. That same year he married his high school sweetheart Jane Blakeslee.
Red returned home to his wife after his discharge, three years later, in 1945. For his service as a Technical Sergeant, Red received the WWII Victory Medal.
Red and Jane Ritz grew their family to fourteen with the addition of their twelve children: Carol (Richard) Holcombe, Bonnie (Jay) Friesen, Deborah, Wendy (Gene) Welch, Christine, Jeanette (Jerry) Gravitt, Roseanne (Guy) Sliter, Paul, Virginia, Michael (Dawn) Ritz, Theresa, and Ann (Shawn) Farmer.
Red apprenticed with Mike Wilson and later formed a partnership with Dick Rivett as R&R Sales and Service. Within a few years he developed his own business as a plumber, electrician and GE appliance repairman.
In 1983 he retired from Red Ritz Sales & Service.
A constant tinkerer, there wasn’t much Red couldn’t fix. His loyalty to his work was only surpassed by his loyalty and love to his family and friends.
Red is survived by his twelve children; a brother, Frank Ritz; and his sister, Mildred VanVliet.
In addition to his many nephews and nieces, Red has 32 grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren who will miss him dearly and remember him fondly.
Red is now reunited with his siblings John, Paul, Kathryn, Marian, June, May and Helen.
More significantly, Red has been reunited with the love of his life, Jane, who passed away in 2004.
To accommodate the many friends, neighbors, and very large extended family of Red Ritz, services will be held this spring for him.
Everyone is encouraged to come and celebrate his life and legacy together at that time.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks instead to please consider a donation to the Town of Webb Historical Association, P.O. Box 513, Old Forge, NY 13420.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Trainor Funeral Home, Inc. of Boonville.
For online messages of sympathy or to share a memory of Red, please got to: www.trainorfuneralhome.com.
Long live Red.
