the dexter leader front march 14, 1013
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7/29/2019 The Dexter Leader Front March 14, 1013
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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