Condolences to the Family of Martha Bazik Rittmueller

Martha Bazik Rittmueller

Posted: Sunday, January 25, 2015 6:43 pm 

  

Martha P. Rittmueller, 72, of East Moline, passed away peacefully, after an acute and sudden illness, on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2815 W. 3rd St., Coal Valley. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, at Esterdahl Mortuary and Crematory, 6601 38th Ave., Moline. Burial will be at Greenview Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or Honor Flight of the Quad Cities.

Martha was born on Oct. 27, 1942, in, Moline, the daughter of Frank and Hilda Schroeder Sievers. She married Matthew Bazik in 1964. He preceded her in death in 1994. She later married Wilbert E. "Ritt" Rittmueller on May 17, 2003, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Coal Valley.

Martha started and operated Lavender Crest Winery, with her husband, Ritt, in Colona, since 2004. She formerly was the County Director for University of Illinois Extension in Rock Island County. Martha was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Coal Valley. She was also a member of the Moline Rotary Club.

Survivors include her loving husband, Ritt; brother, Martin (Sharon) Sievers, Coal Valley; nieces and nephews, Maria McCall, Jennifer (Jearmie) Ransom, Amanda (Chris) Lucki, John Sievers and Martin D. Sievers; great-nephews and -nieces, Brandon Castillo, Mason Ransom, Zach Sievers, Josh Sievers and Heather Sievers; stepchildren, David Rittmueller, Jean Dohen and Marcia Johnson; stepgrandchildren, Michael Martin, Katherine Dohen, David Dohen, John Johnson and Sarah Lief.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Matthew; and brother, Frank Sievers.
Online condolences may be left for her family by visiting esterdahl.com.

Those who were County Extension Directors in about 2005 will remember that the group had dinner at the winery soon after it opened. It was during an in-service in Northern Illinois.  Martha was a gracious hostess. 

The most recent issue of For Your Information is available at: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/fyi/  There are some additional condolences and other information you may be interested in.

Sorry, I can't figure out how to remove the blank boxes!!!

Condolences to Rusti Grogan and Family

William Grogan, 78 of Fairfield passed away at 9:07 PM, Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at Select Specialty Hospital in Evansville, IN.  He had been a farmer in Jasper Twp. for 30 years and had owned J.J’s Package Store.

Survivors include his wife Dorothy Grogan of Fairfield, a son  Bill (Lisa) Grogan of Lombard, IL, a daughter Patti Grogan (Dan Recla) of Kingsford, MI, 6 grandchildren: Mark Flemming of Harbor Springs, MI, Shelby Flemming of East Lansing, MI, Liam Grogan of Lombard, IL, Jill Recla of Bar Harbor, MI, Nick (Amy) Recla of Appleton, WI, and Margo Recla of Mt. Pleasant, MI, and several nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass for William Grogan will be held at 10 AM, Friday, Febraury 20, 2015 at St. Edward Catholic Church in Fairfield, with burial in Maple Hill Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Thursday from 5-7 PM at the Johnson and Vaughn Funeral Home.  Memorials may be made to St. Jude’s, American Lung Assoc., or to the St. Edward Catholic Church.
The Johnson & Vaughn Funeral Home of Fairfield is in charge of all the arrangements.

Our condolences to Rusti and her family. Send an e-mail if you would like to have her address for mailing a card.

Member Update

Joyce Pyatt is busy keeping up with the family farm and all that goes on there. She and Paul have three grandsons that live in central Illinois. They visit as often as they can.


Joyce is also very involved with their church and volunteers at a re-cycled clothing store that helps lots of needy people locally.  Do you think she has changed since 1976?

She began work in Washington County in 1971. In addition she served as a Family Life Educator at the Marion Extension Center and in Jackson County.
                                                                       

Flashback to '76

Flo Banwart was Extension Adviser, Home Economics in Peoria County. She received her B.S. from Iowa State and a M.S. from Illinois State University. Flo was also active in the youth association--being chairperson elect for the national organization in 1976.

Remember 1976?

Seems that lots of people like to put old photos on Facebook-- "throw back Thursday", "flash back Friday", etc. Thought I would feature some of the Extension Advisers/Home Economics that were listed in a 1976 directory of the Illinois Association of Extension Home Economists. (IAEHE--now IEAFCS)

The first individual listed was Kathy Augustine. She was working in Lee County, and had been in her position since 1973.  She attended Eastern Illinois University and the University of Illinois.

Anyone remember?

Member Update

Amy Griswold has not really retired. She is working full time for the Western Illinois Agency on Aging. I believe she said she was a Program Coordinator for Evidence Based Programming. Sounds like it definitely fits in with her Family & Consumer Science Expertise!

Amy also has several grandsons--8 or 9, I think. They and the rest of her family keep her busy--and young--right Amy?

The first issue of FYI for 2015 has been published. It is available at  http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/fyi/. 

Condolences to Judy Taylor on the loss of her father on January 5th. There is a link to the obituary.  It is also interesting to note what the new mileage rates are.

Member Update

Rachel Schwarzendruber retired from Extension in February 2014. She has grand kids in  Austin, Texas and Arlington Heights that  provide visit opportunities.

She also reported that the Extension Family Life Team  received national recognition for their Caregiving Relationships curriculum. Good job ladies! I'm sure anyone interested in getting the information could contact a member of the Family Life Team. That issue will affect most of us sooner or later.

Rachel had an interesting goal. She said she intended to clean her house and get rid of half of everything she had! Wish I could do that! I will be interested to talk to her and see how she is getting along with that project.