Donald Karl Ritschel, 84, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at Syracuse Home, after a long battle with Parkinsons and dementia. He was a Baldwinsville area resident for the past eight years, after having lived near Andreas, PA, for over 50 years. He was a member of Calvary Chapel of Syracuse, in Liverpool.
He was born in Allentown, PA, the third son of the late Joseph Ritschel and Helena Beltz Ritschel. Over the years, Donald was a teller for the Lehigh Valley Trust Co., a meat salesman, U.S. postal employee out of Nesquehoning, PA and bus driver for the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, Schnecksville, PA. He loved water skiing, horseback riding in his younger years, was involved with the local fire company and ambulance associations, and later did woodworking projects.
Donald spent four years in the Air Force, from 1954-58, first as a medic at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, and a as dental assistant at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas. He was scheduled to attend the Honor Flight out of Syracuse that takes veterans to Washington, DC, to visit the World War II, Korean and Vietnam Memorials, but died before the trip. He is now on a much better honor flight going to join his Lord and Savior in heaven.
He was predeceased by his brothers Eugene and Ernst Ritschel, and sister Marie. He is survived by his wife Carol (Hartzell) Ritschel of almost 60 years, his sister, Wendy (Bilheimer) Abbott, his son Mark Ritschel, daughter Denise Craig, and grandchildren – Benjamin, Zachary, Caleb and Anna Craig and Mark-Steven and Marlaina Ritschel.
He will be buried in the Onondaga County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Syracuse. Celebration of life will take place in May in Pennsylvania, close to where old friends and family are located. In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family would appreciate your donations be sent to The Honor Flight, Syracuse, Inc. P.O. Box 591, Syracuse, NY 13209-0591; honorflightsyracuse.org.
