William H. ‘Bud’ Ritzema age 86 of Greenville died Wednesday morning at his home.
He was born in Greenville on August 11,1918 the son of James H. and Lorene C. Huelster Ritzema and was a graduate of Greenville High School class of 1937. He served his country during WW II in the US Army Air Corp as First Lt. William H. Ritzema as a pilot flying B-17 bombers. His plane was shelled by German anti-aircraft missiles and crash landed . He was promptly captured and spent 15 months in a prisoner-of-war camp on the Baltic Sea. In Stalag Luft One he lost 40 to 50 pounds because of lack of food and was freed after the Russian army reclaimed his camp. He received many medals from his service time and in 1994 was given a special ceremony on Nov. 11 in Greenville where he was presented his Prisoner of War Medal.
He returned home from the War and continued the family business of Ritzema’s Men’s Wear in Downtown Greenville. He was active on the main street for most of his life until retirement. He was a member of the First Congregational Church , the Chamber of Commerce and the American Legion. He married Frances R. Gault at the First Congregatonal Church on July 8 1948. She preceded him in death on Jan. 15, 2003. He was also preceded in death by a son Lee C. Ritzema on Feb 15, 1983 and a sister Barbara Schacht.
He is survived by his sons , James W. (Patricia) Ritzema and Douglas C. Ritzema both of Greenville, his grandchildren Erin Jeffrey, Tara (Eric) Felke, Jennifer Ritzema and fiancé
Kevin Camp, Jason Ritzema and Jeffrey Ritzema , great grandson, Tate Jeffrey, his sisters, Elizabeth “Betty” (Robert) Sweet of Grand Rapids and Sally Klackle of Massachusetts,his sister in law Dorothy Currie of Rockingham N.C. and nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday June 18 2005 at 11 AM from Hurst Funeral Home, Greenville with Rev. Jerrold T. Jones officiating with burial in Rest Haven Memory Gardens with military honors by the American Legion Post # 101 of Greenville.
Visitation will be on Friday from 6-8:30 PM at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be given to the First Congregational Church of Greenville
