Cover photo for Merle Rittgers's Obituary
Merle Rittgers Profile Photo
1931 Merle 2018

Merle Rittgers

December 27, 1931 — August 15, 2018

Merle E. Rittgers, 86, of Lincoln, Iowa passed away on Wednesday, August 15, 2018 at Oakview Nursing Home in Conrad, Iowa.  A visitation for Merle will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Monday, August 20, 2018 at the First Presbyterian Church in Reinbeck, Iowa.  A funeral service will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Monday at the church.  Burial will follow at the Maple Hill Cemetery near Gladbrook.  French-Hand Funeral Home in Reinbeck is caring for Merle and his family.

Merle Edwin Rittgers, son of Lawrence and Esther (Ballhagen) Rittgers was born on December 27, 1931 in New Hartford, Iowa.  He received his education in New Hartford, graduating from New Hartford High School in 1951.  On February 26, 1955, Merle married Rose Ella Fink at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa.  The couple resided in Lincoln, Iowa. Merle worked for over 13 years as a truck driver for Contract Steel and then worked 28 years at Ritchie Industries as a CNC operator until retiring in 1999.  Merle loved to spend time with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, was an avid Iowa Hawkeye’s fan and also enjoyed playing softball, fishing, wood working and loved mowing lawns.  He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Reinbeck.

Survivors include his children Carla (Ken) Smith of Gladbrook, Laine (Kristy) Rittgers of Liscomb, Caryn (Paul) Strohbehn of Reinbeck, Marla (Bill Smock) Hout of Indianola, and Judy (Bryan) Brown of Marshalltown; grandchildren Angela Morgan, Jennifer Moulton, Jill Smith, Ross and Michaela Rittgers, Nicholas, Wesley and Ryan Strohbehn, Alicia Hout, Ashley Schneider and Josh Brown; great grandchildren Michael, Brooke, Hunter, Tyler, Alexa, Madalynn, Macey, Taylor, Ethan, Kohen, Danita, Jovon, Ricki, Nathan, Paige, Lauren, Addison, Emerson, Colton and Makenzie; one great-great grandson Braxton; brothers Ralph (Arlene) Rittgers, Donald (Frances) Rittgers, sisters Gladys Elliot, Charlotte, Elizabeth, and Ardith Rittgers.

In addition to his parents, Merle was also preceded in death by his wife Rose Ella; daughter Lori Hout and brother, Eugene Rittgers.

Memorials may be directed to the Rittgers family.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Merle Rittgers, please visit our flower store.

Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Monday, August 20, 2018

9:30 - 11:00 am (Central time)

First Presbyterian Church

405 Broad St, Reinbeck, IA 50669

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Funeral Service

Monday, August 20, 2018

Starts at 11:00 am (Central time)

First Presbyterian Church

405 Broad St, Reinbeck, IA 50669

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Guestbook

Visits: 32

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Send Flowers

Send Flowers

Plant A Tree

Plant A Tree