Richard "Dick" L. Ritz passed away peacefully after a short illness on August 24, 2020, at I.U. Health Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, Indiana. Dick was born on June 16, 1947, in Richmond, Indiana, the son of Howard and Helen (Hastings) Ritz. After graduating from Kokomo High School in 1965, he attended Ball State University where he graduated with a master's degree in education. He met his first wife, Susan C. Bauer, at the university, and they married in 1969 in Huntington, Indiana.
In 1971, he began a thirty-one year teaching career at Muncie Community Schools, where he taught seventh and eighth graders until his retirement in 2002. He met his second wife, Lucinda "Cindy" Knight, at Muncie Community Schools where they both worked. They married in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2002. Cindy preceded him in death in 2012.
He is survived by a daughter, Cheyanne Ritz (Drew Buckingham); a son, Bryan Ritz; a stepdaughter, Misty (Tannon) McElfresh; a stepson, Patrick Knight; and a sister, Victoria (Ralph) Rhees.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Howard L. Ritz and Helen V. Ritz (Hastings); and his grandparents, Ethel (Lynch) and Levi Ritz, and Margaret (Kutter) and Leo Hastings.
Cremation services will be provided by Elm Ridge Funeral Home, 4600 West Kilgore Avenue, Muncie, Indiana 47304. No services or calling hours are planned.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Muncie Animal Shelter, 901 West Riggin Road, Muncie, Indiana 47303 OR Muncie Animal Rescue Fund, 1209 West Riggin Road, Muncie, Indiana 47303.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.elmridgefuneralhome.com.
