Lois E. Lindgren Reitz's Obituary
Midland- Lois Ethel Lindgren Reitz, 96, died Saturday, March 12, 2011 at Colonial Villa Assisted Living in Midland, Michigan. She was born September 18, 1914 to Julius and Ethel (Shannon) Lindgren in Duluth, Minnesota as the youngest of five children. Lois was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Roy, Leonard, and Loren, her sister Inez, her husband Henry, and a daughter Kathleen. She is survived by her sons Richard (Catharine) of Midland,?MI and Frank (Peggy) of Ft. Mill,?SC, 7 grandchildren,?and 8 great grandchildren. Lois met and married her husband Henry C. Reitz in 1937 at the University of Minnesota where she received her degree in Home Economics and he received his PhD in Chemistry. After their marriage Lois and Henry lived in Berkeley, CA, Gainsville,?FL, West Lafayette, IN and Big Rapids,?MI where Henry worked at Western Regional Laboratories, Florida University, Purdue University, and Ferris State University. During this same period Lois worked as a laboratory technician at Purdue and taught junior high science at Reed City public schools. After Henry's death in 1990, Lois moved to Ft. Mill, SC from1998 to 2005 and then came back to Midland, MI for the rest of her life. Lois had an intense interest in scouting all her life; as a scout herself, a waterfront counselor at a Girl Scout camp in northern Minnesota, and a den mother and Brownie leader for her own children. Lois also enjoyed music and played trumpet in her high school band, mastered guitar, accordion, and organ, and even learned to like Richard's iPod late in her life. Lois's interest in learning also continued throughout her life as she took advantage of her position as a faculty wife at Ferris to study computers and get a paralegal degree. She also studied tax law with the IRS so that she could help seniors prepare their income tax returns, a task she undertook for several years. In between times she and Henry managed to raise and can grapes, apples, strawberries, raspberries, and vegetables in their garden. Somehow they also found time to be active members of the United Church congregation. Lois believed in community service. In addition to helping seniors with their tax returns, she was a member of the Big Rapids Community Foundation, the Mich Assoc for Retired School Personnel (MARSP), the Phoenix Society at Ferris, and many committees at the United Church of Big Rapids. After the death of her husband Lois set up an endowment to establish and support the "Reitz Reading Room" in the science building at FSU a quiet place for Ferris students to sit and study while they were on campus between classes. This memorial to the Reitzs' admiration for learning remains active to this day. Lois will be buried at the Highland View cemetery in a private ceremony. Funeral arrangements entrusted to the Mohnke Funeral Home of Big Rapids. Memorial contributions may be made in Lois's memory to ones favorite University or College. ? Share a memory or express condolences at www.mohnkefuneralhome.com ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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