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Joanna Ritzman Obituary

Joanna Jolly Ritzman was born to John G. and Sadie Jolly on November 28, 1915, in Colorado Springs, CO. She graduated from Colorado Springs High School in 1932 and from Colorado College (Phi Beta Kappa) in 1936. Joanna began her teaching career with four years in Canon City. When she got a job in School District 11, she taught at West Junior High School and Colorado Springs High School (now Palmer.) In 1958, Joanna won a John Hay Fellowship, and spent the 1958-59 school year taking college courses in New York City. She was one of the teachers to open Wasson High School in 1959 where she was chair of the Foreign Language Department. Miss Jolly's students had to learn a new name for their Spanish teacher when Joanna married Fred W. Ritzman in the summer of 1964. They were a very happy and loving couple until Fred's early death in 1970. Joanna retired from teaching in 1975 after a 39 year career as an educator. She loved languages, Spanish and Mexican culture and literature, traveling, cooking, knitting, and playing Scrabble. Becoming a poet late in life, she contributed her work to the Poetry Fellowship. She had a wide circle of friends that included many former students who stayed in touch with her throughout her retirement. She died June 27 in her home where she had lived her entire life. Plans for a memorial service are pending.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Gazette from Jun. 30 to Jul. 2, 2006.

Memories and Condolences
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5 Entries

M. Gail Hines (Mackey)

July 8, 2006

My family was neighbors with Joanna , When I grew up in Colorado Springs and she lived on Cache La Poudre Many years and we thought alot of her as a person and she was a greatly loveved teacher. May God Bless you one and all and know she will be greatly mssed.

cory trevino

July 7, 2006

To family and friends of mrs. ritzman, I knew her a short while at a local nursing facility, and thought her life story, and essence was refreshing- She was very lovely.

Curt Neeley

July 2, 2006

Truly a kind lady and inspired teacher who was consistently up-beat, I remember Joanna as my favorite teacher at CSHS during the early 1950's. Although I was away from here for 33 years, Joanna said she recognized my voice when re-introduced myself in Spanish during the mid 1990's, much to our mutual mirth.

Ginny Ledbetter

July 1, 2006

Mrs. Ritzman was my Spanish teacher at Wasson in the late 60's. She sparked an interest in me in both Spanish and education and I ended up chosing a career as a bilingual/ESL teacher. She truly was one of those teachers who influenced my life and made a positive difference. I only hope I have passed on that same spark to a few students over the past 28 years so that they can in turn pass it on to their students. My deepest condolences to her family.

Mary Ann Ramsay Keating

June 30, 2006

Not only was Joanna Jolly Ritzman an excellent language instructor, she was an inspiring friend who open her students eyes to a new culture. I'll always remember "Miss Jolly" and the lessons she taught.

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