Ritts

Gertrude Martha “Trudy” Ritts, 86, of Route 38, Emlenton, Mariasville, went to be with her Lord Thursday afternoon at Clarview Nursing Home in Sligo.

Born in Scrubgrass Township on Sept. 27, 1926, Trudy was the daughter of George F. and Edith Milford Gerwick.

She was a 1944 graduate of Emlenton High School.

She married Eugene N. Ritts on June 15, 1946, in Emlenton. He preceded her in death on Nov. 27, 1969.

Trudy had been employed by Western Auto in Mariasville for more than 16 years. In her earlier years, Trudy was a waitress at Ray’s Hot Dog Shop in Emlenton.

She was a member of the Salem Reformed United Church of Christ and had attended the New Zion E.C. Church in Emlenton. She enjoyed gardening, canning, and spending time with her family and friends.

Surviving are two children, Sandra K. Clark and her husband, Dave, and Kenneth E. Ritts and his wife, Barb, all of Emlenton; one brother, Harold Gerwick and his wife, Mary, of Emlenton; one sister, Virginia Thompson of Eau Claire; four grandchildren, Terry L. Clark and his wife, Maria, of Emlenton, Tammy L. Courson and her husband, Clay, of Butler, Tricia L. Way and her husband, Mike, of Sarver and Shanna L. Newman and her husband, Justin, of Pittsburgh; seven great-grandchildren, Justin Linamen, Allison Clark, Seth Clark, Dalton Way, Jadyn Courson, Quentin Newman and Kenyon Newman; one great-great-granddaughter, Aleya Linamen; as well as a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.

In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by one brother, Howard Gerwick.

RITTS — Friends of Gertrude Martha “Trudy” Ritts, who died Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, will be received at the Hile Funeral Home, 1204 Kerr Ave., Emlenton, from noon to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home with the Rev. Charles Campbell, pastor of New Zion E.C. Church in Emlenton, officiating. Interment will follow at Salem UCC Cemetery, Lamartine.

Contributions in memory of Mrs. Ritts may be made to the Cancer Center at Clarion Hospital, One Hospital Drive, Clarion, PA 16216.

Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.hilefh.com.