Emma M. Ritz, 92, of Aurelia, Iowa passed away on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Careage Hills Nursing Home in Cherokee, Iowa, surrounded by her family.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 3, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Congregational Church in Aurelia, Iowa. Pastor Tim Jones will officiate. Burial will be at the Afton Cemetery in rural Cherokee, Iowa. Visitation will be on Thursday, March 2, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with the family present from 5-7:00 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.
Emma was born on January 7, 1931 at home in Bloomfield, Iowa to Bruce and Fern (Irvin) York. She attended Bloomfield Schools. She was united in marriage to Royal D. Ritz on December 14, 1948 at her parent’s home in Bloomfield, Iowa.
The couple had lived in Aurelia since 1982, prior to this in various towns including Newell, Storm Lake, Turin, Onawa, Odebolt, Ottumwa, and Bloomfield, Iowa. Together they owned and operated Ritz Paint and Glass in Odebolt for 7 years. Emma also worked as a sales clerk at a woman’s store in Odebolt. She also worked for Merry Maids in Storm Lake, Iowa. She worked as an activity director at the Whiting Nursing Home and Country Side Estates in Cherokee.
She was a member of the First Congregational Church in Aurelia, Iowa. She was involved in their Ladies Church Circle.
Emma enjoyed gardening, interior design, playing cards, camping, canning and baking, and family get togethers.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Royal in 2008, sister and brother-in-law, Erma and Raymond Friend, brothers, Billy, Benjamin, and Herbert York, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Richard and Benny Ritz, Keith and Helen Ritz and Evelyn and Dowe Scott.
She is survived by her three daughters, Connie (Marty) Melby of Lakeside, Iowa, Cathie Ritz of Cherokee, Iowa, and Kellie Powers of Spencer, Iowa; seven grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; one brother, Larry (Joyce) York of Cherokee, Iowa; sister-in-law, Carolyn York of State Center, Iowa; brother-in-law, Carl (Darlene) Ritz of Bloomfield, Iowa; also several nieces and nephews.
