Fred Rittenbach Jr., 89, Minot and formerly of Butte, ND died on Thursday, August 6, 2009 in a Minot healthcare center.

Fred was born on April 29, 1920 on the family farm in Medicine Hill Township of McLean County near Butte, North Dakota to Fred Sr. and Rosie (Schock) Rittenbach. His early childhood was spent on the family farm and attended rural school in that area. As a young adult he was a member of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and was employed as a wrangler at the Camp Stool Dude Ranch near Long Lake, MN.

Fred entered the U.S. Army on January 5, 1942 at Fort Snelling, MN. He received his basic and advanced training at bases in the Galveston, Texas area. He served stateside and in Europe prior to his discharge as a First Sergeant on December 2, 1945 at Camp McCoy WI. During World War II he was involved in the following military campaigns and battles: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, Central Europe and Ground Combat.

In 1949, he enlisted into the Headquarters Battery 465 Field Artillery Battalion active reserve and was subsequently reactivated on September 4, 1950 for service during the Korean War. He was stationed in Japan and was discharged as a Master Sergeant on May 29, 1952. Fred served the country he loved for ten years.

Fred worked in Portland, OR for a short time before returning to Minot, ND. Fred married Jennie Sande on December 9, 1948 at Zion Lutheran Church - Minot. They made their home in Minot where he was employed as the retail manager at Montgomery Wards, I. Keating Furniture World and was the rural circulation director at the Minot Daily News. For the last thirty-eight years, they had resided at 409 26th St. N.W. in Minot. Fred retired in 1985.

Fred was a member of Zion Lutheran Church - Minot and a former member of the Minot American Legion Post #26. He especially enjoyed family time, grandchildren, hunting and fishing, Twins baseball and talking politics.

Fred's loving family includes his wife of 60 years Jennie Rittenbach. children: Debbie (Rich) Herman of Cody, WY, Curt Rittenbach of Maple Grove, MN and Perry (Laurie) Rittenbach of Omaha, Nebraska; grandchildren: Travis Rittenbach, Kelsey Bergfalk, April Peek, Jane and Rachel Rittenbach; Cody and Dillon Herman; great grandchildren: Hailey and Carson Rittenbach, Jonathan Savoie, Evelyn and Nora Peek; sisters: Frieda Plesuk of Minot, Rosie Brinley of Lincoln NE, Leone Good of Marietta GA, Esther Novak of Portland TN and Hilda Dickhaut of Winterset TN; brothers: Emanuel (Jean) Rittenbach of Milton Freewater, OR and Otto (Carol) Rittenbach of Greensville, NC; special sister-in-law and niece Martha Musch and Susan Roise both of Minot and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Fred was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter, an infant brother, sister: Marie Demchuk and brothers: Edwin, Carl, Robert, John and Hilbert.

Funeral Service: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. in Zion Lutheran Church - Minot.
Interment will be in Rosehill Memorial Park - Minot.
Visitation: Monday from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. in Thomas Family Funeral Home - Minot.
Memorials are preferred to Zion Lutheran Church.