Ellsworth Adolph Ritter's Obituary
Ellsworth A. “Edge” Ritter
October 13, 1931 – June 19, 2022
Ellsworth Adolph Ritter was born to Clara and Adolph Ritter on October 13, 1931, in Palmdale, Calif. He was the youngest of four with three older sisters. Edge grew up in Lancaster, Calif., in the Leona Valley on the 18,000-acre Ritter Ranch. He got the nickname “Edge” from his cousins, who would yell out, “put the hay bales on edge!” when loading the hay barn.
Spending the days of his youth playing in the creek by the vineyards, Edge would look to the skies and dream of the day he could be a pilot. Edge earned his pilot’s license at 16 before getting his driver’s license. He attended Antelope Valley High School (class of 1949), where he developed his love of music and marched in the 1947 Tournament of Roses Parade playing the tenor saxophone.
After graduating high school in 1949, Edge enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served in the Korean War, earning the designation of expert rifleman. Upon completing his enlistment and returning home, Edge opened Ritter Flying Services in Palmdale, Calif., where he was the flight instructor and owner. It was there he met Judi Turner when she became his bookkeeper. He would fly her to Palm Springs for lunch dates and courted her until they married in Las Vegas, Nev. In 1960.
Edge’s flying business went bankrupt, so he explored other career options. He worked as a private investigator, cosmetologist (his hands were too big, and he was too slow and meticulous to be successful), and car phone salesman in the 1960s. Nothing seemed to stick until he accepted a position with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Edge’s career with the FAA soared as he received promotion after promotion, leading the family from California to Arizona to Washington, DC., to Reno, Nev, and back to California, where he served as the Flight Safety District Office manager for the Oakland and San Jose international airports. He retired from the FAA after 30 years of service in 1992. Shortly after retiring, NASA offered Edge a position performing mid-air collision investigations. He and Judi spent their time between Reno and the Bay Area for seven years living in a motorhome in the NASA parking lot while in the Bay Area.
Edge and Judi adopted Alisa Lenee in 1969; tragically, she passed away in 1971. Shortly after Alisa’s passing, they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and adopted Juliane Denise.
Edge and Judi had many activities they shared, including square dancing, fulfilling callings in the church as temple workers and emergency preparedness leaders, and the love of travel. They enjoyed numerous cruises around the world, including one that lasted 30 days! They were doting grandparents to Nick and Benji. Edge and Nick performed several saxophone duets, and all three shared a love of cars and trains.
Edge is survived by his wife Judi, their daughter Juliane Kettering (Jack), and their grandsons Nick and Benji.
Graveside services will be held at Glen Haven Mortuary in San Fernando, Calif., where he will be buried alongside his daughter Alisa.
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