Joyce Ritter

Mrs. Joyce Irene Ritter, 79, of Greenville passed away Wednesday evening, January 23, 2008, at her home under the loving care of her family and Hospice of Michigan. The daughter of Leslie & Adeline (Steffen) brown, she was born August 14, 1928 in Greenville and was a life-long resident. Growing up in Greenville, she spent much of her time on the family farm, Browns Dairy, which was located on West Washington Street where Greenville Community Bank now stands. Her grandparents, Lester & Nellie Brown, started the dairy in the late 1920s and their property extended all the way south to Baldwin Lake, where the family also had a cottage lake side. Spending many summers of her youth at the lake, she loved swimming and became an expert swimmer. She was planning an event on her 80th birthday this coming summer to swim across Baldwin Lake once again. In her early teens she interrupted her education to help support the family and worked as head waitress at the Greenville restaurant, where it was said she received the first tip as a waitress in the Greenville area -- a dime from a visitor from New York City. On Oct. 30, 1947 she married Donald L. Ritter of Stanton and began a new career as a devoted wife, homemaker, and mother of four children. In later years, Joyce worked at the former Gibson Refrigerator Co., where she was active in many union activities with UAW Local 137, including serving as a convention delegate for the Union at Los Angeles, Calif. in 1976. At the age of 63 she returned to school to earn her High School Diploma and Certificate of Recognition from the State of Michigan in 1992. She loved to read and believed anyone who keeps learning stays young. She was known to say, The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. She was a member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the Lester J. Sitts Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5065 in Sheridan. She was preceded in death by a son, Edward Joe Ritter in 1984; and by her husband of almost 58 years, Donald L. Ritter in 2005. Surviving are a daughter, Linda S. & Arnold Andersen of Greenville; two sons, David C. & Elena Ritter of Greenville, and Glenn L. Ritter of Sheridan; two sisters, Darlene Laughlin and Sandy Bell, both of Greenville; two brothers, Richard Brown of Greenville, Leslie & Linda Brown of Belding; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three brothers-in-law, Arthur Ritter of Stanton, Ellis & Lorraine Ritter of Sidney, and Gerald "Dute" & Sharon Ritter of Stanton; and several nieces and nephews. Joyce was a wonderful mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who was very interactive with all her grandchildren and was loved by all. A time of food and fellowship will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Feb. 9, 2008 at the Sheridan V.F.W. Post. As she wished, private family services were held at the Brown-Teman & Christiansen Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Greenville, with cremation following. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Joyce Ritter, please visit our flower store.