Services
Obituary
Bessie Ritter, 90, of Clarion passed away Friday, August 21, 2015 at Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion.
Funeral services for Bessie Ritter will be held at 10:30 AM on Monday, August 24, 2015 at the First Lutheran Church, 420 1st Street North West in Clarion, with Pastor Grant Woodley officiating. Burial will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Clarion.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 23, 2015 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Ewing Funeral Home, 1801 Central Avenue East in Clarion, and will continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Monday.
Bessie Evelyn Boone was born on August 1, 1925 to Luke and Alma (King) Boone. She attended Dows schools, graduating with the class of 1942 , where she played basketball and was a cheerleader.
Bessie was united in marriage to Ronald Ritter on September 11, 1943 at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Parsonage in Des Moines, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed on March 28, 1948 at Vernon Lutheran Church in rural Dows. She remained an active Ladies Aid member for over 50 years. She and Ron later transferred to First Lutheran Church in Clarion, where she enjoyed her time with the sew ladies.
Bessie and Ron farmed in Wall Lake Township at the old potato farm for 37 years before retiring and moving to Clarion in 1980. She enjoyed going dancing with Ron at Clear Lake, along with gardening, canning, ice cream bars, and Rice Krispie treats.
Always a goal setter, she attained her most recent one of reaching 90 years young.
Bessie is survived by her sons Robert (Judy) Ritter, Jim (Jean) Ritter, and Doug (Pam) Ritter; daughter Cindy (Jim) Schaffer; grandchildren Kristin Brewer, Jackie (Leo) Reiter, Stephanie (Eric) Shields, Sarah Ritter, August (Jason) O’Brien, Andy (Sheena) Schaffer, Josh (Katie) Schaffer, and Aly Schaffer; great-grandchildren Gabby Brewer, Max Reiter, Charlie Reiter, Meg Reiter, Emma Shields, Tobias Schaffer, Ronen Schaffer, and Owen Schaffer; and sister Darlene Balsar.
She was preceded in death by her parents Luke and Alma Boone, husband Ronald, twin sister Bonnie Osborne, sister Verla Lundahl, and brothers Chessle Boone and Llewellyn Boone.
Memorials may be directed to First Lutheran Church in Clarion or Iowa Specialty Hospital in Clarion.
Watch Bessie's memorial tribute video at:
Bessie Ritter Tribute Video