Dixie Green Ritter died on October 1, 2011 in Oceanside, CA of a cerebral hemorrhage she suffered on September 28. She left this life surrounded by the family she loved. Dixie was born on December 11, 1934 in Inglewood, CA to Donald and Ann Oder. She grew up in Los Angeles and graduated from San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno while under the loving care of her foster mother, Mildred Eaton.
Dixie always wanted to be a nurse. She received a full scholarship to St. Vincent’s Nursing College in Los Angeles and graduated at the top of her class at age 20. Dixie met Stanley Green at a mixer between the student nurses and the officers from Oxnard Air Force Base. They were married October 1, 1955 in Nagoya, Japan.
After returning to the South Bay in 1957, Dixie and Stan built a home in Portuguese Bend. During their 20 years of marriage they raised their five children – Laura (Dean Hanley), Erin (Gary LaMonte), Raymond (Judy Goering), Joe (Stacey Werner), and Ellen (Martin Crnkovich).
In addition to her 40+ year career as a registered nurse at Little Company of Mary Hospital, Dixie enjoyed a life full of travel, gardening, sailing, and community service. She was active in the Palos Verdes school PTAs,
St. John Fisher Women’s Auxiliary, Lunada Bay Little League Boosters, and established the Portuguese Bend Family Ski Club. She was an entrepreneur; setting up a service to accompany travelers that were ill or injured and a real estate business.
Dixie married Frank Ritter on March 8, 1997 and they moved to Ocean Hills Country Club in Oceanside in 2003. They spent the last eight years happily involved in the gardening club, ballroom dancing, and the many other activities in their community. Dixie continued her lifelong dedication to service and her nursing profession by providing bimonthly blood pressure checks to Ocean Hills residents.
Dixie was devoted to her 13 grandchildren – Anna, Mary, Helen, Regina, Graham, Rachel, Max, Joe, Peter, Sam, Maria, Katie, and Timmy – never failing to acknowledge a birthday or graduation. Dixie leaves a legacy of commitment to others, even in her death, serving as an organ donor. She will be remembered as a vivacious, beautiful woman who was comfortable in her own skin and lived by the motto on her license plate – “She’s fun”.
If you are able to come, we welcome you to attend a South Bay Memorial Mass that will be held Tuesday, October 18 at 7:30 pm at St. John Fisher Catholic Church located at 5446 Crenshaw Blvd., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275. St. John Fisher Church is located on the top of the Peninsula at the intersection of Crenshaw Blvd and Crest Road. Detailed directions can be found at the church website at www.sjf.org.
There will be a celebration of Dixie's life on Sunday, November 6 starting at 12 Noon in the community room (Abravenal Hall) in the Ocean Hills Country Club in Oceanside.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial scholarship fund for nursing students at California State University at San Marcos has been established in Dixie's name for the benefit of a deserving student from either a single or foster parent (as was Dixie). Should you choose to make a donation it can be paid either by check or online.
Check: Please make donations payable to CSUSM Foundation (please note your donation with "Dixie Green Ritter RN Memorial Scholarship") and mail to: University Advancement California State University - San Marcos, 333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos, CA 92096-0001.
Online: Please go to the GIVING link at www.CSUSM.edu. Please designate your gift as: "Dixie Green Ritter RN (Endowed) Memorial Scholarship for Nursing Students at California State University San Marcos".
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Lynn Wellborn at CSUSM, at 760-750-4403 760-750-4403 or lwellbor@csusm.edu.
I met Dixie through her husband, Frank. I remember the first time I met Frank. It was at an investigators conference in Phoenix. A group of us went out to dinner and he and I sat across from each other. Dixie was sitting next to him. Frank, ever the careful investigator, was cautious in getting to know this young 23 year old man sitting across from him.
Nonetheless, the three of us got to know each other over the course of that dinner and found that we enjoyed each others' company. We spoke now and then between conferences and always spent a lot of time together when we were able to meet in person. Many times Dixie was there, sometimes not.
What I truly know of Dixie, I have learned through Frank. I know of his undying love for her and that she had a giving and caring spirit (like any nurse would). Whenever I would talk to Dixie, she extolled Frank and the reverse was true when I spoke to Frank. They both had such pride and deep love for the other. Their relationship was special, loving and, I believe, they were the best of friends.
As with all relationships, there comes a time when one has to part ways. I grew up in the funeral business with a father who chose that career. I always heard families talk about how people died in an accident, alone, lost their memory, etc.
God takes care of the truly good people in this world. Dixie Ritter passed away doing one of the things that she loved the most: working in her garden. Not just that, but she was spending time with her one true love, Frank. We should all hope to be so lucky for when our time comes that we can go whilst doing something we love next to the person we love most. What a gift. But what a fitting gift for Dixie. It was just God's way of thanking her for all the good work she had done throughout her life taking care of other people.
How did Dixie Ritter touch your life? Think about that and then go touch someone else's life. Do something kind for someone else. Dixie would have. Pass along the generousity and love that she gave to the people she met.
If everyone in this world was a little more like Dixie Ritter, how amazingly wonderful of a place it would be to live.
Dixie: I will so very much miss seeing you again but know that you will never be forgotten.
