the dexter leader front march 14, 1013

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Weave the Web: Make sure to click on www.heritage.com around the clock for the most in-depth coverage of Washtenaw County. Our “Most Viewed” story this week is “Legendary athletic director Al Ritt has died.” Check out our video: Dexter tops Harrison behind buzzerbeater in OT Click on the “jobs” tab on the home page of our website or go directly to http://jobs.heritage.com. Join us on Twitter: Become a Dexter Leader follower. Click on the Twitter tab on the home page of our website or go directly to http://twitter.com/ ChelseaDexter. Join us on Facebook: Click on the Facebook tab on the home page of our website or search for us on Facebook. Get breaking news: To receive breaking news alerts, text HERNews to 22700 The Marketplace: Local ads are just a hop away at the MIcentral. com marketplace. While you are there, you can check out all the special supplements of Journal Register Co. newspapers in Michigan. Click on “marketplace” on the home page of our website or go directly to www.marketplace.micentral. com/ROP/Categories.aspx. Classifieds Page 3-B Calendar Page 2-B Death Notices Page 8-A Sports Page 1-C Community Page 1-B News Tip Hotline: 475-1371 INDEX VOL. 143, NO. 10 THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013 75 ¢ THE DEXTER LEADER Hay shortage affecting local farmers. Page 11-A INSIDE Check out the Dexter High School Squall. Page 1-B INSIDE Legendary athletic director Al Ritt dies By Sean Dalton Heritage Media Elvin “Al” Ritt died March 8 sur- rounded by friends and family at a medical facility in Ann Arbor . Ritt was known for many things  – bein g a gr eat coach, a great frien d and a great member of his com- munity. Everyone who spoke to The  Dexter Leade r on his passing agree that the 77-year-old “larger-than - life” figure lived a full life dedicated to his family and his community, from the children he coached and mentored to the fellow parishioners at Dexter United Methodist Church. Born in Bellair to Merrill and Lena Ritt, Al was a skilled baseball player and played minor league baseball for Kansas City Athletics in Grand Island, Neb. On Aug. 1, 1958 he mar- ried Audrey (Darnell) Ritt, after which they settled into Dexter where they raised four children. Once in Dexter, Ritt rose through the ranks of the Dexter Commun ity Schools’ athletic program, becom- ing the most respected athletic director to serve in the position, which he held from 1975 to 1989. In honor of Ritt, the community named their football stadium after him. He loved playing and c oaching sports, but what he enjoyed the most was being a mentor to the students and players that he encountered during his teaching and coaching years. He loved to get to know them all on a personal level and loved each and every one of them like family . Ritt’s is survived by his wife, Audrey, and his children Alan (Diana) Ritt, of Longmont, Colo.; Tracy (Doug) Marrin, of Dexter; Michael (Stena) Ritt, of Freeland; and Patrick Ritt, of Dexter. Also surviving is his mother, Lena Snodgrass, g randchildren, Larry (Rachel) Marrin, Candice Marrin, Zhenya Ritt, Kennedi Ritt, great grandchildren, Brendan and Drake Marrin, brothers, Robert (Kim) Ritt and David Ritt. Preceding Al in death is his father Merrill Elvin Ritt. Farewe lls from friends and family will be received on March 15 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Dexter United Methodist Church. The funeral will be 1 p.m. March 16 at the church while the gathering will start at noon. Memorial contributions are sug- gested to the Dexter Community Schools Athletic Department. Messages of comfort can be left with Al’s family by calling (877) 231- 7900 or sign his guestbook at www. borekjennings.com. Photo by Nathaniel Siddall During the Dexter Pioneer Days event at Creekside Intermediate School, Ginny Ryan displays the “tornado bowl,” flanked by ladies of the histori- cal society (from left) Bene Fusilier, Sonie Hargrove, and Sandy Matsco. For more on Pioneers Days, see page 4-A. THE DEXTER TORNADO: ONE YEAR LATER By Kathleen Murphy Heritage Media The one-year anniversar y of the Dexter tornado is Friday . It has been one year since more than 400 households were affected, and lives were shattered by the EF3 tornado. That classification means winds were estimated at 135 to 165 1:30 p.m. Friday. Students will hear about the importance of severe w eather awareness from members of the Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness, the Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division, and local Emergency Management. The p.m. at L aFontaine Automotive. At this event: Applications will be accepted for the tree replanting effort in late April. Tree samples and site evalu- ation consultation will be available. Applications will be accepted for lawn and grass remediation problems. Volunteers are invited to sign the storm, that we know it will go down in the collective memory of Dexter,” according to the statement by the Dexter R elief Fund. “In spite of the hardship of the people whose homes and lives were so impacted, the lesson so many have learned is that we benefit from and survive because of the support of our friends , family and Art from tragedy  �� �� �� - - - - �� ���   Ritt Community preparing for grim anniversary

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7/29/2019 The Dexter Leader Front March 14, 1013

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-dexter-leader-front-march-14-1013 1/1

Weave the Web:Make sure to click

on www.heritage.comaround the clock for themost in-depth coverageof Washtenaw County.Our “Most Viewed” storythis week is “Legendaryathletic director Al Ritthas died.”

Check outour video:■ Dexter tops

Harrison behindbuzzerbeater in OT

Click on the “jobs” tabon the home page of our

website or go directly tohttp://jobs.heritage.com.

Join us on Twitter:Become a Dexter

Leader follower. Clickon the Twitter tab onthe home page of ourwebsite or go directlyto http://twitter.com/ ChelseaDexter.

Join uson Facebook:

Click on the Facebooktab on the home page ofour website or search forus on Facebook.

Get breaking news:To receive breaking

news alerts, textHERNews to 22700

The Marketplace:Local ads are just a

hop away at the MIcentral.com marketplace. Whileyou are there, you cancheck out all the specialsupplements of JournalRegister Co. newspapersin Michigan.

Click on “marketplace”on the home page of ourwebsite or go directly towww.marketplace.micentral.

com/ROP/Categories.aspx.

Printed on

recycled paper

Classifieds Page 3-B

Calendar Page 2-B

Death Notices Page 8-A

Sports Page 1-C

Community Page 1-B

News Tip Hotline: 475-1371

INDEX

VOL. 143, NO. 10 THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 201375¢

THE

DEXTERLEADER

Hay shortage affecting

local farmers.

Page 11-A

INSIDECheck out the Dexter

High School Squall.

Page 1-B

INSIDE

Legendary athletic director Al Ritt diesBy Sean DaltonHeritage Media

Elvin “Al” Ritt died March 8 sur-rounded by friends and family at amedical facility in Ann Arbor.

Ritt was known for many things – being a great coach, a great friendand a great member of his com-munity.

Everyone who spoke to The

 Dexter Leader on his passing agreethat the 77-year-old “larger-than-life” figure lived a full life dedicatedto his family and his community,from the children he coached andmentored to the fellow parishionersat Dexter United Methodist Church.

Born in Bellair to Merrill andLena Ritt, Al was a skilled baseball

player andplayed minorleague baseball

for Kansas CityAthletics inGrand Island,Neb.

On Aug. 1,1958 he mar-ried Audrey(Darnell) Ritt,after whichthey settled into Dexter where theyraised four children.

Once in Dexter, Ritt rose throughthe ranks of the Dexter CommunitySchools’ athletic program, becom-ing the most respected athleticdirector to serve in the position,which he held from 1975 to 1989.

In honor of Ritt, the communitynamed their football stadium afterhim. He loved playing and coaching

sports, but what he enjoyed the mostwas being a mentor to the studentsand players that he encounteredduring his teaching and coachingyears.

He loved to get to know them allon a personal level and loved eachand every one of them like family.

Ritt’s is survived by his wife,Audrey, and his children Alan(Diana) Ritt, of Longmont, Colo.;Tracy (Doug) Marrin, of Dexter;Michael (Stena) Ritt, of Freeland;and Patrick Ritt, of Dexter.

Also surviving is his mother,Lena Snodgrass, grandchildren,Larry (Rachel) Marrin, Candice

Marrin, Zhenya Ritt, Kennedi Ritt,great grandchildren, Brendan andDrake Marrin, brothers, Robert

(Kim) Ritt and David Ritt.Preceding Al in death is hisfather Merrill Elvin Ritt.

Farewells from friends and familywill be received on March 15 from2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at DexterUnited Methodist Church.

The funeral will be 1 p.m. March16 at the church while the gatheringwill start at noon.

Memorial contributions are sug-gested to the Dexter CommunitySchools Athletic Department.

Messages of comfort can be leftwith Al’s family by calling (877) 231-7900 or sign his guestbook at www.borekjennings.com.

Photo by Nathaniel Siddall

During the Dexter Pioneer Days event at Creekside Intermediate School,Ginny Ryan displays the “tornado bowl,” flanked by ladies of the histori-cal society (from left) Bene Fusilier, Sonie Hargrove, and Sandy Matsco.For more on Pioneers Days, see page 4-A.

THE DEXTER TORNADO: ONE YEAR LATER

By Kathleen MurphyHeritage Media

The one-year anniversary of theDexter tornado is Friday.

It has been one year since morethan 400 households were affected,and lives were shattered by the EF3tornado. That classification meanswinds were estimated at 135 to 165mph.

The grim anniversary will be

marked in different ways.Students at Mill Creek MiddleSchool will have a tornado drill,while the Dexter Relief Fund willhost an open house.

Mill Creek Middle Schoolwill highlight Severe WeatherAwareness with a tornado drill at

1:30 p.m. Friday.Students will hear about the

importance of severe weatherawareness from members of the Michigan Committee forSevere Weather Awareness, theMichigan State Police EmergencyManagement and HomelandSecurity Division, and localEmergency Management. Thegroups will also discuss last year’stornado.

The students will then demon-strate preparedness techniquesduring a tornado drill.

Later Friday afternoon, theDexter Relief Fund committee andmany organizations will honor theresilience of the Dexter commu-nity during an open house from 3-7

p.m. at LaFontaine Automotive.At this event:■ Applications will be accepted

for the tree replanting effort in lateApril. Tree samples and site evalu-ation consultation will be available.

■ Applications will be acceptedfor lawn and grass remediationproblems.

■Volunteers are invited to signup for the replanting. Help is need-ed and teams are being sought.

LaFontaine Automotive willprovide food.■ Dexter High School students

will lead games.■ A video booth will be available

for storytelling.“So many people were affected,

both directly and indirectly, by

the storm, that we know it will godown in the collective memory of Dexter,” according to the statementby the Dexter Relief Fund.

“In spite of the hardship of thepeople whose homes and lives wereso impacted, the lesson so manyhave learned is that we benefitfrom and survive because of thesupport of our friends, family andneighbors, and so it is in this spiritof celebration that everyone is

invited to stop by LaFontaine.”Ron Barres, general managerof Paul Davis Restoration andRemodeling of Ann Arbor, was onthe scene the day after the tornadohit to help with residential repairs.

“We there the next morning to

Art from tragedy

� 

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Ritt

Community preparing for grim anniversary

PLEASE SEE TORNADO /3-A