Mr. Ritz,
Thank you, kindest gentleman. You sang yourself to happiness thru the years. You found a beautiful bride and together raised a most incredible bunch of boys. your grandchildren respected you, mostly they adored you. They still do. You will live in the hearts of many as each has their personal story in life that you shared with them.
Now you are with your forever bride and join her for all eternity.

Dear Family,
May Edward's love of music live in your hearts.  May your special memories bring you comfort, strength and peace.  Your father/grandfather was an amazing person.

Life is built in many cycles with beginnings & ends, and each phase brings its joys, happiness & special memories, but also sadness & pain.  Saying goodbye to your father & grandfather is not easy, but he is at peace and out of pain.  
Grampa Ritz was the quintessence of a knowledgeable, kind & polite gentleman.  Ben always appreciated his time, attention & conversations when we would meet at family gatherings.  
Although he has left this world, his presence remains in the stories he told, his wonderful singing voice & the countless ways he touched everyone's life - he was loved; his life was meaningful & valuable. 
May the memories you have of him keep him in your hearts always.   Rest in peace Grampa Ritz!

Mr. Ritz had an incredible memory. We try to figure out why some people are blessed with good memories so we can improve our own. We might do puzzles, learn a new language or even take pills. I don’t think Mr. Ritz did any of these.  He was just a genuine good fellow with a generous heart.  He enjoyed a stress free life and that is why I believe he had such a great memory. Few of us can replicate such an easy going lifestyle. He will be missed by us all.

I had the pleasure of singing with Ed for many years in the Grand Philharmonic Choir (and the K-W philharmonic Choir too!) he was a consummate choir member, welcoming of newcomers, and the keeper of our memories. He also had a sly sense of humour and his wit was always welcome.
Once he had retired, I always sought him out after concerts for his accurate and honest reviews of the performances.
He was a joy to know. May he rest well and his memory be a blessing. With my sincere condolences to all who loved him

Ed Ritz was one fabulous guy.  I knew him as a friend and a longtime tenor in the Grand Philharmonic Choir. He was rock solid in every way. I loved his letters to me in which he told me how he felt about the music we were singing. When I took over the choir, he had already been a member for more than 20 years and he thought maybe it was time to retire. I talked him out of it, and Ed sang with us for another 30+ years. Thank you my friend. You made a difference! Rest in peace!

We are saddened by the loss of our dear Grandpa Ritz and are very thankful for the kind words of sympathy expressed by many of our friends and family.  We've been fortunate to have had Grandpa in our lives for so many years.  He was loved by all, especially his grandchildren.  We will always cherish our family gatherings together at Grandpa & Grandma's on Irvin Street.  There was always plenty of food, wine, laughter and music.  Grandpa's love of music filled the home.  He was devoted to singing and enjoyed sharing it with us all.  He also enjoyed family visits and sharing stories of his past.  He was very interested in all the happenings in our lives.  Dear Grandpa, we will miss you but know you are close in our hearts forever.
Love, Katie, Dan and Family

Sometime around 1970, I had a student summer job as a relief letter carrier with the Kitchener Post Office. Management assigned Ed Ritz to show me the ropes. As we walked the blocks and engaged in conversation, I was struck by Ed's kindness and erudition. He was a true gentleman. I am sure there are many like me whose passing acquaintance with Ed was memorable.

Robert Lang

Beautiful Ritz Family,
We offer our most sincere condolences on the passing of your beloved Father/Grandfather. He lived a remarkable life - one of integrity and decency. You have been blessed to have shared many years of memories together as a family. Memories to comfort you as you lay “Papa Ritz” to rest.  Perhaps a smile will come to your face as you picture the wonderful reunion between him and the love of his life. 
Further still, picture the magnificent choir he has now joyfully joined.
Rest in Peace
Sincerely,
Will and Jean Atamaniuk and Family.

We are truly sorry to hear of Grandpa Ritz’ passing. He was always a very friendly and talented gentleman. We will miss his presence when our families gather. He sang at our wedding back in 1989 and I will always treasure this memory. Rest in God’s peace, dear Grandpa Ritz. Together again with your beautiful wife, Grandma Ritz. 
Our deepest sympathies to the Ritz Families: Phil, Shanta,  Andrew, Giselle, and Davina, Dean, Greg, but especially my dear brother-in-law Dan and sister Katie and my beloved nephews and nieces Alex and Courtney, Steve and Jill, Mark, and Natalie and Noble. You are in our thoughts and prayers, always. 
Love, Annette and Barry Staley xo

OBITUARY

Edward Louis Ritz

23 May, 1927 – 10 September, 2025

Westmount Memorial Celebration Centre

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