Ritzert

Herbert R. Ritzert, 81, of Chicora died Saturday morning at his home of natural causes.

Born in Millerstown, now Chicora, July 14, 1926, he was the son Urban A. and Caroline Weiland Ritzert.

He had worked at the Fretz-Moon Tube Co. for 13 years and then worked at T.W. Phillips Gas & Oil Co. for 30 years. He also was a farmer all of his life and pumped oil wells.

During World War II, he was an Army corporal and served as a gunner in the anti-tank company of the 349th Infantry. He also served with the 88th Infantry Division in Italy.

Mr. Ritzert was a member of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, where he served on the church council. He was a member of the Chicora American Legion and the VFW posts.

Surviving are his wife, Mary N. "Nim" Oesterling Ritzert, whom he married Jan. 30, 1947; four daughters, Joan Spaulding and her husband, Charles, of Mars, Judith Rathfon and her husband, James, of Butler and Rosemary McGrady and her husband, William Jr., and Elaine Burns and her husband, John, all of Chicora; six sons, David H. "Pete" Ritzert and his wife, Lynn, of Emlenton, Gary R. Ritzert and his wife, Linda, of Chicora, Raymond B. Ritzert and his wife, Carol, of Depoe Bay, Ore., Donald K.Ritzert and his wife, Barbara, of Dixon, Mo., Norman U. Ritzert of Chicora and Patrick J. Ritzert and his wife, Denise, of Chicora.

Also surviving are 22 grandchildren, Kevin, Christopher and Nathan Young, Eric, Matthew and Nicholas Ritzert, Stephanie Roskowski, Jennifer McCarren, Angela Vizzini, Renae Wyant, Jeremy and Ashley Ritzert, Megan Cawley, Benjamin Ritzert, Crystal McCallister, Elizabeth and Jessica McGrady, Jonathan and Alaina Burns and Ethan, Brenna and Caroline Ritzert; two step-grandchildren, Tom and Shawn Hudson; 18 great-grandchildren, Kolton, Kaden, Kaleb, Zane, Hope and Hudson Young, Addison, and Kendall Ritzert, Jacob and Sophie Roskowski, Jackson McCarren, Garret, Libby and Colson Ritzert, Bailey Wyant, Grace Cawley and Weston and Nathanial McCallister.

Two sisters and two brothers, Nancy Schnur and her husband, Kenneth, and Dolores Cypher and her husband, Edward, all of Chicora; Bernard Ritzert o£ Louisville, Ky., and the Rev. William Ritzert of Chicora; and a number nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews also survive.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Ronald Ritzert.

<B>RITZERT </B>— Friends of Herbert R. Ritzert, who died Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the <B>STEIGHNER FUNERAL HOME</B>, 111 E. Slippery Rock St., Chicora. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, North Oakland, with his brother the Rev. Wiliam Ritzert, chaplain of the Butler Veterans Affairs Medical Center, officiating. Burial will be at Hemphill Cemetery, Chicora.Full military honors will be conducted by the Chicora VFW and American Legion posts and the 99th Regional Readiness Command of Coraopolis.Donations may be made to Medi Home Hospice, 3162 Kipp Ave., Lower Burrell, PA 15068-3546.