Theodore Ritz, Jr. died peacefully in Spanish Peak Veteran’s home in Walsenburg, Colorado on October 9, 2022, where he had been a resident for 5 years. He was 89 years old.
Mr. Ritz was born over the Trinchera Pass, New Mexico on May 27, 1933, to Lula (Vigil) and Theodore Ritz. He was the great-great-grandson of Charles Bent for which Bent’s Fort near La Junta, Colorado was named. He was also a great-great-grandnephew of Kit Carson.
Mr. Ritz went into the Navy in 1951 and served 4 years and then subsequently joined the Air Force as a pilot. After leaving the service he married Dorothy Aibner, the mother of his 6 children, and Adrienne Sena, the mother of one of his children.
He worked for Bill Lear of Learjet, Boeing aircraft, Hughes Aircraft, TRW (Thompson Ramo Wooldridge Inc), Lockheed, and Martin Marietta. He was a mechanical and electrical engineer. He went back to Boeing in 1995-1998 working on flight structures. He retired in 1998 as an aerospace engineer designing laser lenses for jets. He also invented the first 4-tract cassette and the 8-tract (using the endless Loop idea) and holds patents to this day. Besides being a brilliant man, he loved the great outdoors and spent many summers traveling through the great states of Colorado, California, Alaska, Washington, and Canada.
He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy Ritz, his brother David Ritz, sister Violet Ritz, and grandson Charles Ritz.
Survivors are his children: Mr. Mark (Christine) Ritz, Pueblo, Colorado; Dr. Elizabeth (Joe) Stewart, Trinidad, Colorado; Ms. Yvette Hoak, Lake Arrowhead, California; Mr. Charles Ritz, Lake Arrowhead, California; Ms. Kathleen Ritz, Abilene, Texas; Mr. Theodore Ritz, III, Marysville, Washington; Mr. Jeremiah Ritz, Trinidad, Colorado. He leaves behind 23 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
The memorial service will be held at Spanish Peaks Veteran’s Home at 10 am, Tuesday, October 18th. The family may be contacted at 21000 South Ridgeline Drive, Trinidad.
