Official Obituary of
Thomas Dean Ritz
February 2, 1951 ~ September 9, 2016 (age 65) 65 Years Old
Thomas Ritz Obituary
HARRISVILLE, NY ~ Thomas Dean Ritz, 65, of Church St., Harrisville, died Friday, September 9, 2016 in Lewis County General Hospital, Lowville, where he had been a patient since August 28th.
Born February 2, 1951 in Gouverneur, NY, a son of Wilfred E. and Veronica M. Lewis Ritz, he was a 1969 graduate of Harrisville Central School.
A veteran, Tom entered the US Air Force in October, 1970 and served primarily with the 552 AEW&C Wing as an Aircrew Life Support Specialist out of McClellan AFB in Sacramento, CA, McCoy AFB in Orlando, FL, Homestead AFB in Homestead, FL and the former Griffiss AFB in Rome, NY. After serving for 14 years, he was honorably discharged as a Sergeant from Griffiss on September 26, 1984.
Following his military service, he returned to Harrisville and accepted a position on Fort Drum in Troop Billeting. He then transferred to the base’s US Army Garrison Directorate of Logistics where he was in charge of the Central Issue Facility/Property Control Branch and Storage Section, and lastly, a fuel handler on gasoline Alley, before retiring in 2002.
Tom was a communicant of St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church in Harrisville, and was a member of its Cemetery Committee. He was also a member of the Carthage American Legion Post #0789, Gouverneur VFW Post #6338, and was a former long-time member of the Silver Dawn Hunting Club in Harrisville.
His favorite pastimes were fishing, hunting, card playing and spending time at hunting camp. He loved the NY Yankees, rarely missing a game, and the NY Giants. He had a weakness for old Hollywood movies, especially Westerns, and C & W music. He will long be remembered by family and friends for story and joke telling.
Surviving are ten nieces and nephews, Sherry Stanford, Terri Crump and Jeaneen LaBeau, all of Harrisville, Mark Benson, Lowville, Jane Benson and Tim Phillips, both of Watertown, Cindy Cook, Lacona, Kim Gaylord, Webster, Sean Huff, Carthage and Laurile Higgins; his brother-in-law, James Phillips, of Fine, and a sister-in-law, Sandy Ritz, of Brockport; numerous great nieces and nephews, and great, great nieces and nephews. Tom also leaves behind his faithful feline "son", Levi, who he treasured and provided him with much companionship.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers and two sisters, Louis (1984), Joseph (2013), Sharon Phillips (1993) and Shirley Benson, who died earlier this year.
A funeral Mass for Tom will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. from St. Francis Solanus Church in Harrisville with the Rev. Donald J. Manfred, Pastor, officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in St. Francis Solanus Cemetery, Harrisville. Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral luncheon in the parish hall following his interment.
There will be no calling hours.
Memorial donations may be considered to a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements are with Scanlon Funeral Home, Harrisville.
To view Tom’s online obituary or leave a message of condolence, please visit www.scanlonfuneral.com.
Born February 2, 1951 in Gouverneur, NY, a son of Wilfred E. and Veronica M. Lewis Ritz, he was a 1969 graduate of Harrisville Central School.
A veteran, Tom entered the US Air Force in October, 1970 and served primarily with the 552 AEW&C Wing as an Aircrew Life Support Specialist out of McClellan AFB in Sacramento, CA, McCoy AFB in Orlando, FL, Homestead AFB in Homestead, FL and the former Griffiss AFB in Rome, NY. After serving for 14 years, he was honorably discharged as a Sergeant from Griffiss on September 26, 1984.
Following his military service, he returned to Harrisville and accepted a position on Fort Drum in Troop Billeting. He then transferred to the base’s US Army Garrison Directorate of Logistics where he was in charge of the Central Issue Facility/Property Control Branch and Storage Section, and lastly, a fuel handler on gasoline Alley, before retiring in 2002.
Tom was a communicant of St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church in Harrisville, and was a member of its Cemetery Committee. He was also a member of the Carthage American Legion Post #0789, Gouverneur VFW Post #6338, and was a former long-time member of the Silver Dawn Hunting Club in Harrisville.
His favorite pastimes were fishing, hunting, card playing and spending time at hunting camp. He loved the NY Yankees, rarely missing a game, and the NY Giants. He had a weakness for old Hollywood movies, especially Westerns, and C & W music. He will long be remembered by family and friends for story and joke telling.
Surviving are ten nieces and nephews, Sherry Stanford, Terri Crump and Jeaneen LaBeau, all of Harrisville, Mark Benson, Lowville, Jane Benson and Tim Phillips, both of Watertown, Cindy Cook, Lacona, Kim Gaylord, Webster, Sean Huff, Carthage and Laurile Higgins; his brother-in-law, James Phillips, of Fine, and a sister-in-law, Sandy Ritz, of Brockport; numerous great nieces and nephews, and great, great nieces and nephews. Tom also leaves behind his faithful feline "son", Levi, who he treasured and provided him with much companionship.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by two brothers and two sisters, Louis (1984), Joseph (2013), Sharon Phillips (1993) and Shirley Benson, who died earlier this year.
A funeral Mass for Tom will be held on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. from St. Francis Solanus Church in Harrisville with the Rev. Donald J. Manfred, Pastor, officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in St. Francis Solanus Cemetery, Harrisville. Family and friends are invited to attend a funeral luncheon in the parish hall following his interment.
There will be no calling hours.
Memorial donations may be considered to a charity of one’s choice.
Arrangements are with Scanlon Funeral Home, Harrisville.
To view Tom’s online obituary or leave a message of condolence, please visit www.scanlonfuneral.com.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Thomas Dean Ritz, please visit our floral store.
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