Janice I. (Olson) Ritten

Janice I. (Olson) Ritten, age 78, of Parkers Prairie, died unexpectedly on Friday, September 9, 2022, at the Alomere Health Hospital in Alexandria.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, September 17, 2022, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in West Miltona with Pastor Terry Finnern officiating. Interment will take place at the church cemetery.

Visitation is from 4-7 p.m., Friday, September 16, 2022, at Lind Family Funeral Home in Parkers Prairie and will continue one hour prior to the service.

Janice Ivadelle Olson was born on April 19, 1944, to Marvin and Hilda (Dreger) Olson on the family farm. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in West Miltona. Janice attended country school in Miltona Township and graduated from Parkers Prairie High School in 1962. Following her education, along with several classmates, Janice moved to the Twin Cities and worked for Lutheran Brotherhood Insurance as a proof writer. She married her sweetheart, Mike Ritten on March 30, 1963, at the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. The couple lived in the Twin Cities for a brief period before returning home, settling by Carlos. Together they raised their three children in the community. Janice worked at the Carlos Elementary School in various roles along with her role as the secretary for the Trinity Lutheran Church. After their children were grown, the couple purchased Janice’s homestead where she grew up and built a home in 1994. In 2002 she fully retired and dedicated her time to her children and grandchildren, who were her everything. She could frequently be found in the kitchen baking cookies for her family. She always had cookies or candy in her purse for her grandkids and great grandkids. Her dedication to her faith and church body continued at St. Paul’s. She enjoyed feeding birds, tending to her flowers, trips to the casino, playing cards, and spending time on the North Shore. She was the family’s rock and she will be deeply missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents.

Janice is survived by her husband of 59 years, Mike Ritten; children, Michelle Ritten of Carlos, Mike (Lisa) Ritten of Andover, and Mark (fiancé, Lisa Kamphake) Ritten of Alexandria; grandchildren, Heather (Jeremy) Hopper, Travis (Katie) DeGier, Kayla (Matt) Dreger, Michael Ritten, Brandon Ritten, Sophie Ritten, Mia Ritten, Tristen Kamphake, Brandon Kamphake, Nathan Kamphake, and Madison Kamphake; great-grandchildren, Marissa, Addison, Wyatt, Alexa, Easton, Blake, Silvie, Evan, Everly, and Izzy; and sister, Diane (Alan) Riedel.