- Date Of Birth: August 5, 1934
- Date Of Death: April 20, 2022
- State: Indiana
Norman Leslie Ritter, 87, of West Lafayette, passed away Wednesday April 20, 2022, at Westminster Village.
He was born on August 5, 1934, in Indianapolis, Indiana to Robert Eli and Martha Ruth (Brown) Ritter. After a brief period in Rochester, Indiana, the family ultimately settled in Fort Wayne, where he met the love of his life, Sue Ann Stockamp. They were married for 58 years until Sue’s death in 2015. Immediately after their wedding, the couple moved to Charleston, SC, where Norman was stationed in the Navy and Sue worked as a registered nurse. Upon being honorably discharged from the Navy, they moved back to Indiana and Norman attended Indiana University, graduating with honors in 2 ½ years with a degree in accounting.
His first job out of college was with the public accounting firm Ernst and Ernst, where he obtained his CPA license. He was then hired by Great Lakes Chemical Corporation in 1963, which brought the couple to Lafayette. He spent the rest of his career at Great Lakes, becoming the Corporation’s Secretary/Treasurer before his retirement in 1991.
Norman and Sue were charter members of Grace Lutheran Church (LCMS) and remained very active in the congregation for the rest of their lives. Norman was also active with several other organizations in Lafayette and served on the boards of the Bach Chorale Singers and the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra.
Both Norman and Sue loved to travel. Together they visited much of Europe, Russia, Israel, several Caribbean islands, and many countries on the Mediterranean Sea. They also traveled to almost every state in the continental US. To celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary they took their family on a cruise to Alaska.
He also loved to read, watch sports, work on his model train layout, and solve crossword puzzles.
Norman is survived by his sons Dennis (Nancy) of Woodridge Illinois, and David (Joe Guthridge) of Chicago, Illinois; daughter-in-law June Ritter of Lenoir, North Carolina; five grandsons Brian (Colleen), Matthew, Andrew, Kevin (Kinsey Elshof), and Nicholas; and two great granddaughters, Nora and Madelyn; and his sister Martha Bolles.
He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, and son Douglas.
