Lawrence "Short" Ritzdorf

April 12, 1916 - January 16, 2015

Lawrence Ritzdorf, 98, of Howells, passed away Friday, January 16th in Dodge. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21st at SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Howells. Visitation will be from 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. Tuesday followed by a Parish Rosary at 7:00 P.M at S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. Visitation will continue Wednesday one hour before services. Burial will be in S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery. Lawrence was born April 12, 1916 in rural Howells to Charles and Catherine (Nagengast) Ritzdorf. He attended S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic School in Howells and District 22 school. On August 23, 1938 Lawrence married Emily Beran. Lawrence was a farmer and after retiring from farming worked for Pokorny Oil, repairing and replacing tractor tires. He was a lifetime member of S.S. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. As a young man Lawrence played baseball for his local teams, and maintained an interest in baseball his whole life as he and Emily continued to watch baseball games on tv. Lawrence enjoyed going to sale barns and watching cattle and horse sales. He especially enjoyed spending time with his grandkids. Lawrence is survived by his wife, Emily of Howells, daughters: Arlene (Gary) Nemec of Howells and Lori Cram of Omaha; grandsons Jay (Connie) Nemec and Bill Nemec, granddaughters: Denise Baer, Kelly (Bill) Robbiano and Kathy (Tim) Rahmig; great grandchildren: Andrew Rahmig, Jon Rahmig and Tiffany Decker; great great grandchildren Griffin and Grady Decker, Sydney, Veronica and Scarlett Rahmig; and brother-in-law Edwin F. Beran. He is preceded in death by his parents, 6 brothers, 4 sisters and grandson Dallan Kluthe, son-in-law, Phil Cram. Memorials are suggested to the Howells Rescue Squad.