Carol Frances Reitz

Carol Frances Reitz, 78, of State College, passed unexpectedly on Saturday, July 5, 2025. Born on June 11, 1947, in Lock Haven, she was the daughter of the late Helen Marie (Rishell) Stamm and Frederick Rodger Stamm Sr., the wife of Howard Wesley Reitz, and a beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt.
Carol graduated from Penns Valley High School in 1965. After school, she worked for Penn State in the Forestry Department while Wesley was earning his bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering. After he earned his degree, she chose to be a homemaker and caretaker for their family.
Carol had a loving and radiating personality that could light up the whole room. She found importance in caring for others and their happiness, frequently resulting in a hospitality unmatched. Carol loved preparing food for her family and guests, keeping an immaculate home, playing bridge, and tending to her flowers, flower gardens and 2 cats, KC and Frani. Carol was loved by all of those who she met and served as "cheer gram" for her granddaughters Danessa and Ariana, as well as many of their friends, traveling around the country for competitions and supporting them with any and all endeavors - she never slowed down and lived every day to the end at its absolute fullest.
Carol achieved ACBL Gold Life Master in 2010 and ACBL Sapphire Life Master in 2017 - Carol said, "My passion and love for the game of bridge, along with the support of my knowledgeable partners, has enabled me to reach this goal!" She was on her way to become a Diamond Life Bridge Master, being only 24 points short of the required 5000 master points.
Carol and her husband moved numerously throughout their almost 60 years of marriage, prior to his retirement: Centre Hall, PA ; Rochester, NY ; Meadville, PA ; Weston, WV ; Jonesville, VA ; Livonia Center, NY ; Avon, NY ; Mechanicsville, VA ; then settling outside of State College, PA in 1984. Carol was completely devoted to her family who loved her dearly; they were her greatest accomplishment and treasure on earth.
Carol is survived by her husband H. Wesley Reitz, brother Frederick Stamm Jr., 3 children: Brian Reitz, Douglas Reitz (Patricia Glynn), and Karen (Reitz) Williams, as well as 8 grandchildren: Kenneth Reitz (Sarah Hollars), Daniel Reitz, Rachel Leheny (Adam), Brittany Reitz - currently residing in Japan, Danessa Brown, Ariana Wilford, Vinney Williams, and Kaylee Williams, and 3 great-grandchildren: Malachi Reitz, Lawson Leheny, baby girl Leheny due in August, and many nieces and nephews through her brother and sister.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two younger sisters, Lynetta Jean (Stamm) Rowley d-2025 and Marcia Kay Stamm d-1960. She will be greatly cherished and missed.
A viewing will be held at the Barbara Daughenbaugh Funeral Home, Inc in Centre Hall, on Friday, July 11, 2025, from 10am -12 noon. A funeral service will follow at 12 noon with Rev. Sandra Kraft officiating. A graveside service will immediately follow at the Centre County Memorial Park in State College.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Grace United Methodist Church, PO Box 292, Centre Hall, PA 16828 or to the National Alliance of Mental Illness State of Pennsylvania online at http://namikeystonepa.org.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Barbara Daughenbaugh Funeral Home, Inc of Centre Hall. To share memories and condolences online, please visit daughenbaughs.com.
Please not the family is also planning a Celebration of Life for Carol in the near future. When those details become available, it will be announced here.