Eleanor R. Ritter

Eleanor R. Ritter, the daughter of the late Irving and Pearl Brown Holman, was born September 16, 1917, near Lewis, Iowa. Eleanor was raised with her sister, Garnet, in the Mt. Ayr, Iowa, area where their father was a Methodist Minister. She graduated from Mt. Ayr High School in 1935 and went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Speech from Simpson College in 1939. She taught high school English and Latin for one year prior to her marriage to Kenneth Earl Ritter at the United Methodist Church on May 21, 1941, where her father officiated the double-ring ceremony. Eleanor was a homemaker and was very involved in the community of Winterset. She was a 70 year plus member of the United Methodist Church where she held various positions. She was also a member in the Child Welfare Club, Tri-L Book Club, and Past-Matron of Eastern Star. She was a life-member of the Winterset Art Center, Madison County Historical Complex, and Friends of the Winterset Library. In her free time, Eleanor enjoyed traveling, needle work, and reading. On Monday morning, July 25, 2011, at the age of 93, Eleanor passed away in her sleep in Winterset. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kenneth in 1981; and her sister Garnet Weed. Those left to cherish her memory include her four children, Kay Hertz of Des Moines, Barbara Hendricks (Leon) of Winterset, Nancy Ritter of Ft. Dodge, and Marvin Ritter (Deb) of Glen Ellyn, IL; six grandchildren, Kevin Hertz (Leah), Margaret Petosa (John), B.N. Hendricks (Lauren Carey), Jana Hendricks (Mike Johnson), Brian Ritter, and Carrie Ritter; and three great-grandchildren, Jessica Hertz, Jack Petosa, and Sophia Petosa. Eleanor loved education and wanted to enhance the education of medical students by donating her body to Des Moines University in Des Moines. A Celebration of Life Service for her will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the First United Methodist Church in Winterset. Memorials to Friends of the Winterset Public Library will be appreciated. On-line condolences maybe directed to www.ochiltree.com