Hilda Joan Ritts

Hilda Joan Ritts of Rochester died on March 15th from complications due to lung cancer.She was born in in 1931 in Cumberland, MD to Ada Mabel and John Lewis Stump. Jo-- as she was known to friends and family--modeled throughout her teens and early twenties and graduated from the Cumberland Memorial Hospital School of Nursing with an RN in 1951.She moved to Washington D.C. to work at the George Washington University Hospital where she met and married Dr. Roy E. Ritts, Jr.They had three children, Leslie Sue of Alexandria VA, Graham Douglas of Duluth, MN and Ian Christopher of Maple Plain, MN.With her children in medical and law school, Jo returned to nursing at St. Marys in 1978.She remained active throughout her life in the Rochester Garden Club and was President of that organization, and was involved in numerous kids sports, scouts and music programs, the Graham Arena Booster Club, and the Green Meadows Homeowners Association.Her kindness and compassion were boundless as was her civic commitment to organizations like the Rochester School visiting nurses immunization program and St. Marys Hospice.Jo was much beloved by her children and grandchildren Jamie, Alexandra Jane, Andrew Douglas and Molly.Her grace and huge heart will be with us all forever.