SYLVIA R. RITTER

RITTER, SYLVIA R. Sept. 4, 1936 to Dec. 8, 2010 Sylvia Rae (Barnes) Ritter died unexpectedly on December 8, 2010. Born in Nebraska and adopted by Dean and Eva Barnes as a baby, she grew up with older brother David in Havelock, NE. Married to Walker J. Ritter on July 14, 1956 her first child Michael was born on her 21st birthday and together they had two more sons, Russell and Thomas. In 1969, Sylvia and her family moved from Sharpsville, PA to Duarte, CA and then to Brawley, CA in 1972 where she earned an AS Degree and learned sign language and braille for her job working with people with disabilities at Imperial Valley Junior College. In 1983, she moved to Lomita, CA with her husband and continued her education at CSULA earning a BA degree and teaching credential for the visually impaired at the age of 55. She then worked ten years for the LA Co. Office of Education as a teacher for children with visual impairments. She loved her job as a teacher and only retired in order to take care of her husband. Sylvia was blessed with seven grandchildren including Matthew, Kyle, Kassandra, Sarah, Haley, Ryan, and Rachel Ritter. Family was the most important part of her life and she made sure everyone stayed together by organizing frequent family vacations. She is dearly missed and will always be in our hearts. She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years Walker J. Ritter and son Russell D. Ritter and is survived by her brother David Barnes, and sons Michael and Thomas Ritter. She was laid to rest next to her husband at Green Hills Memorial Park, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA.