Gerald G Ritenburgh, 68, passed away Fri, Sep 3, 2004, at St Mary's Hospital in Rochester, MN. He was born in Flint on Nov 1, 1935, the son of Floyd and Alvena (Krage) Ritenburgh. He married Margaret Louise Cotton on Aug 18, 1962, in Kalkaska.
Mr. Ritenburgh was a graduate of Kalkaska High School with the class of 1954, Central Michigan University MS and MA, and Michigan State University, EDS. He was in the ROTC at Central Michigan University and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served six months of active duty and achieved the rank of captain while in the Army Reserves until 1968.
He was a teacher at Walloon Lake Elementary School for one year, principal at the Earman School in Benton Harbor for three years, Superintendent of Pier School in Benton Harbor for four years, and principal/ superintendent of the Bark River- Harris school from 1967-1991 when he retired. He was acting superintendent of schools in Wakefield from 1991 to 1992. He was a member of the Central United Methodist Church in Escanaba and administrative board chairman and staff-parrish relations chairman, Michigan Association of School Administrators and Bark River Lions Club where he was Past King Lion.
Surviving are his wife, Margaret; daughters, Ann (Dave) Forster of Port Huron and Amy (Todd) Sabourin of Appleton, WI; sons, David (Sonia) Ritenburgh of Ortonville and Donald (Amy) Ritenburgh of Lake Orion; grandchildren, Benjamin and Erin Forster, Justin and Andrea Ritenburgh, Madison and Evan Ritenburgh, and Eric and Alaina Sabourin; brothers, Vernon (Ilene) Ritenburgh of Caledonia, Arnold (Donna Jean) Rittenburgh of Brampton, and Richard Ritenburgh of Fife Lake and sister, Norma (Glenn) Cotton of Kalkaska.
He was preceded in death by his father, Floyd, in 1990 and mother, Alvena, in 1979.
Funeral services were held on Wed, Sep 8, at Central United Methodist Church with Pastor Scott Harmon officiating.
Burial will take place on Sat, Sep 11, 2004, at the Excelsior Township Cemetery in Kalkaska at 2 pm.
Arrangements were made by Crawford Funeral Home, Escanaba.
