Ritner, Helen E. 1892-1982

RITNER, MURPHY, DREIER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 1/25/2012 at 19:29:35

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; Aug. 30, 1982

HELEN RITNER DIES FRIDAY

Helen E. Ritner, 89, of the Mayflower Home died early Friday at the Mayflower Home Health Care Center.

Miss Ritner donated her body to the University of Iowa College of Medicine. A memorial service was held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Grinnell First Baptist Church, with the Rev. Robert C. Smith officiating. Friends may call the Smith Funeral Home for additional information.

The daughter of Thomas Joseph and Annie Murphy Ritner, she was born Nov. 26, 1892, at Atchison, Kan. She attended public schools and the Atchison Business College.

Miss Ritner served as secretary for the superintendent of schools at Atchison. During the period of 1920-25, she was stationed at Shanghai, China, as secretary to the administrator of the American Baptist Church, International Ministries. When she returned to the U.S., she lived at Topeka, Kan., where she worked as secretary for the Kansas Baptist State Convention. She returned to Atchison in the late 1940s where she was employed at Aetna Insurance.

She had lived in Grinnell since 1975 and was active in the First Baptist Church here, serving in many women's lay activities. She was also a member of the D.A.R.

She is survived by a sister, Pauline Ritner of the Mayflower Home. She was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Ruth Dreier; and a brother, Robert Ritner.