Ritola, Nels Parrin (1947-2018)

RITOLA, PAYNE, SCHLICHTER, COTY, COWAN, STROHMYER, HARTMAN, WULF, GORE

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 12/18/2018 at 15:43:22

Nels Parrin Ritola
September 23, 1947 ~ November 8, 2018 (age 71)

Nels Parrin Ritola, age 71, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, died on November 8, 2018, at his home in Sioux Rapids.

Nels Parrin Ritola, a son of George and Valborg (Payne) Ritola, was born in Traverse City, Michigan, on September 23, 1947. He was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Traverse City and confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church also in Traverse City.

Educated initially in Traverse City, he graduated from high school in 1966. He, then, continued his education at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, completing a bachelor’s degree in 1971. On May 23, 1970, he married Gretchen Schlichter in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Subsequently, they were blessed with five children: Bill, Kirstin, Karin, Kim, and Christi. From January 4, 1972, until his honorable discharge on August 22, 1982, Nels, faithfully, served his country in the United States Army. Next, he attended the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, Illinois, where he earned a Master of Divinity Degree in 1985.

In his first career, Nels worked as a carpenter. Following his theological training, however, he served in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). In his first placement, he led two congregations, one in Dalton, Nebraska, and one in Broadwater, Nebraska. Later, he served a congregation in Gothenburg, Nebraska. Nonetheless, because of his declining health, he was no longer able to fulfill his ministerial duties after 1998, but he remained active in the congregations in Emerson, Nebraska. Still a member in good standing with the Nebraska ELCA Synod, he came to make his home in Sioux Rapids, Iowa, in 2015.

While he was residing in Dalton, Nebraska, Nels had served as a volunteer fireman. Otherwise, his special interests included hunting, fishing, doing carpentry work, and gardening. In addition, he made his children a very important part of his life and sought to involve himself with all their activities.

Nels’ life is honored and cherished by his family which includes his children: Bill (Jennifer) Coty, of Traverse City, Michigan, Kirstin (Adam) Cowan, of Orlando, Florida, Karin (Dan) Strohmyer, of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, Kim Ritola and Adam Hartman, of Leesburg, Virginia, and Christi (Cory) Wulf, of Lincoln, Nebraska; eleven grandchildren; a brother, Lars (Judy) Ritola, of Traverse City, Michigan; and a sister, Karen (Matt) Gore, of Vero Beach, Florida; as well as other extended family members and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Ole and William.

Memorial services will take place Friday, November 16, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Sioux Rapids. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, November 15, 2018, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Sliefert Funeral Home in Sioux Rapids. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations to the National Ataxia Foundation in Nels’ memory. The Sliefert Funeral Home in Sioux Rapids is in charge of the arrangements.

Sliefert Funeral Homes, Sioux Rapids, Iowa, 2018.

Buena Vista Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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