Joseph "Joe" Ritz

1930 - 2023

Joseph (Joe) Ritz, formerly of Metairie, passed away in Baton Rouge on April 10, 2023 at the age of 93. He was born February 10, 1930 to the late Anna and Antonio Rizzo. Joseph grew up in Paterson, NJ where he attended Rutgers University before enlisting in the USAF in 1951. He served as a flight engineer on B-29s until his discharge in 1955. During that time, he met and married his first wife and mother of his children, Dorothy Jones of New Orleans. In 1955 he enrolled at LSU, where he completed his Bachelor's degree. After college he worked for the Pfizer Corporation, rising to a management level position in their New York offices. He and his family moved back to New Orleans where he owned restaurants and other businesses, bought and developed real estate, and eventually became a full-time commodity futures trader. He married his second wife, Carol in 1982 and they were blessed with 40 years of loving marriage. They moved to Baton Rouge in 2004 when she retired from the Jefferson Parish Public School System. In addition to his parents, Joseph was preceded in death by his siblings Angelina Ajaj, Rose Rizzo, Nick Rizzo, and son-in-law Billy Smith. He is survived by his wife Carol and children Craig (Kristen) and Pam Smith. Also surviving are grandchildren Christopher Smith (Monique), Justin Smith (fiancé Lisa), Daniel Smith, Marissa Smith, Kara Triche and great-grandchildren Connor and Addison Smith. Visitation will be held on Friday, April 21, 2023 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Garden of Memories Funeral Home, 4900 Airline Drive, Metairie, Louisiana 70001. A funeral service will take place at 2:00 p.m. with inurnment in Garden of Memories Cemetery immediately thereafter. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to the SPCA or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. To leave condolences, please visit www.gardenofmemoriesmetairie.com.