Daisy Rittgers
(November 28, 1907 – June 18, 2014)
A celebration of Daisy’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 21, 2014 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL with Rev. Lynette DeAtley and Rev. Howard Sallee officiating. Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Friday. Burial will be in Little Flock Cemetery, near Assumption, IL. Memorials may be given to the Fourth Street United Methodist Church, Shelbyville, IL.
Daisy was born on November 28, 1907 in Westervelt, IL, the daughter of David Edward and Martha Estella Camfield Sands. At age 10 her father died and her mother later married Homer Williams. Daisy attended Eastern Illinois State Teachers College and in 1928 received a one-year teaching certificate. She began teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Mount Taber, south of Shelbyville. There she taught all eight grades, about 45 students, and did the janitorial work too. She continued to teach in one-room schools in the Shelby County area until Shelbyville Unit 4 was formed. Daisy taught in the Shelbyville schools for 23 years, before retiring in 1972 for a combined 43 years of teaching. She continued to substitute teach until she was age 75. While teaching, she continued her education by taking numerous college courses. On August 4, 1996, she received her Board of Governors Bachelor of Arts Degree from Eastern’s School of Adult and Continuing Education. At the age of 88, Daisy is believed to be the oldest graduate in Eastern’s history. In Daisy also enjoyed oil painting and poetry writing. She was a Sunday school teacher and member of the former Clarksburg United Methodist Church and now a member of the Fourth Street United Methodist Church in Shelbyville. Daisy was also a member of the United Methodist Women, Ladies of the Moose #1325 and Bunco Club. She married August Carl Rittgers on March 4, 1933. In 1982 they moved from their farm near Clarksburg, IL to live in Shelbyville. Carl died on January 17, 1992.
She is survived by her special friends, Barb, Jerry and Debbie Myers of Shelbyville, IL; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Carl; and sisters, Hazel Lamm and Cora Elliott.
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