Charles Ritze

CHARLES RITZE

Center Point

Charles A. Ritze, 92, of Center Point, passed away after a brief illness Saturday, March 21, 2015, at Living Center East, Cedar Rapids. Services: 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 27, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Center Point. Family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 26, at the funeral home. Burial: Lafayette Cemetery, Lafayette, Iowa.

Survivors include his children, Charlene (Carl) Anderson of Fort Dodge and Shirley Jean (Leo) Peiffer of Langworthy; seven grandchildren, Dawn, Stacy, Troy (Sarah), Carley (Domingo), Christina (Brandon), Kimberley (Andy) and Kandey; 13 great-grandchildren, Aubrey (Tyler), Ashley, Brennan, Donovan, Elizabeth, Hayden, Nessa, Wyatt, Keiara, Brycen, Carver, Grant and Trinity; great-great grandchild, Pryor; sister, Arlene (Warren) Barclay; and special friend, Theresa Vopalka.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Betty Jean Ritze; brothers, Floyd Ritze and Harold Ritze; and three great-grandchildren prematurely.

Charles was born Nov. 26, 1922, in Alburnett, Iowa, son of Glenn Earl and Viola Murl (Helbig) Ritze. He was a member of the Lafayette Salem Community Church and Farm Bureau. He married Betty Jean Pratt on March 11, 1945, at Jordan's Grove. She later died in 2004. Together with his beloved wife, he farmed, milked cows, shelled and hauled corn, ran B&C Grain and hauled and sold cobs.

Charles loved the Chicago Cubs, caring for his wife's cats, the family dogs, their Mission, Texas, home and reflecting on his full life with his wife and partner.

Memorials may be directed to the Lafayette Salem Community Church.

Please share a memory of Charles at www.murdoch funeralhome.com under obituaries.