Joan Iona (Risser) Ritts, 86, of Woodbridge, Virginia passed away Wednesday, September 16th at Westminster of Lake Ridge of congestive heart failure.
Joan was born on July 15th 1929 in Boston, Massachusetts to Fredrick Samuel Risser and Myrtle Angeline (Elderkin) Risser. Joan grew up in the Boston area with brother, James, and graduated from Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing.
She served both as a staff nurse and head nurse at Massachusetts General prior to joining the United States Navy Nurse Corps, where she met her husband, career Marine Robert Orme Ritts (deceased 1993) at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
Joan and Robert married in 1955 and proceeded to travel the globe on Marine Corps orders, finding themselves both stateside and abroad, in destinations ranging from the French Riviera to Taiwan. During this time, Joan and Robert welcomed two daughters to the family, Susan (1956) and Sandy (1963).
Joan never returned to her professional nursing career after the birth of her children, though she continued tirelessly to care for both family and community. Amongst the many caps Joan wore were active Girl Scout leader, popular and beloved substitute middle school teacher and substitute secretary, and active member of an Alzheimer’s advisory panel and support group leader.
During the late 1970s and 80s, Joan became actively involved in the nursing home care of her mother who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. When she realized her own mother’s enthusiastic response to music, Joan played piano and organized rhythm bands for the residents, creating her own version of music therapy.
Over the following 35 years, she orchestrated groups at seven different nursing homes, including most recently for her fellow residents of Westminster at Lake Ridge. Joan was an active resident at Westminster, playing the woodblock in the Kitchen Band, dancing in their famed “chorus line,” and volunteering in numerous health and hospitality support and advisory capacities. Joan is survived by her brother, James Brinton Risser; two daughters, Susan Ann (Ritts) Akers and Sandra-Lynne Ritts Rose; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild; and countless beloved friends. Memorial service will be held at the Westminster at Lake Ridge Chapel, 12191 Clipper Drive, Woodbridge, at 3:30 pm on Thursday September 24th, 2015.
Private burial will be held for the family at Quantico National Cemetery. Mountcastle Turch Funeral Home of Dale City has been entrusted with arrangements. Joan’s memorial page can be viewed at www.mountcastle.net. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) (www.alzfdn.org).
