Ella Louise Ritz

Ella Louise Ritz, 89 of Wayland, died Wednesday, August 13. 2025 at Arbor Court in Mt. Pleasant.

Funeral Services will be at 10:30 AM, Monday, August 18, 2025, at the Beatty Funeral Home in Wayland, with Chaplain Gordon Hawkins officiating. She will be cremated following the service and will have a private family burial at the Wayland Cemetery. Visitation will begin at Noon Sunday, August 17, 2025, at the Beatty Funeral Home in Wayland, with family present from 2-4:00 PM. Memorials may be designated to Everystep Hospice in Mt. Pleasant and the City of Wayland Fire and Rescue.

Ella was born June 19, 1936, in Fairfield, Iowa, the daughter of James Elmer and Sophia Margaret (Vogt) Crafton. She was united in marriage to Robert “Bob’ G. Ritz on August 19, 1950, in Memphis, MO.

She was a member of the Cottonwood Methodist Church. She had several seasonal jobs, including, waitress at the Southside Café in Wayland, working at the egg plant in Wellman and was an assembler at a awning factory in Bettendorf. She enjoyed reading, playing cards, crocheting afghans for births, graduations and weddings.

Survivors include her children, Brenda (Joe) Alliman of Wayland, Connie (Wayne) Stafford of Winfield and Sandie Clark of Wayland; grandchildren Tonya (Doug) Vislisel, Shannon Eagle, Joni (Bill) Huisenga, Anthony (Tammy) Alliman, Ryan Alliman and Justin Stafford; nineteen great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded by her parents, husband Bob, two brothers, Harold and Elmer, two sisters, Elsie Dandridge and Erma Williams; two still born grandchildren; grandson Travis Stafford; son in law John Clark.