Alice Reitz, 94, passed away February 4, 2014, in Gainesville, Florida. She was born in Cimarron, Kansas to Howard and Alice Benton on December 18, 1919. She spent her early years in Cimarron and on a wheat farm in Belle Plaine, Kansas. Her future husband lived on the adjacent farm. She experienced both the Dust Bowl and the Depression. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Kansas State Teachers College at Pittsburg, Kansas. In 1942, she joined the Women’s Army Auxilary Corps, which later became the Women’s Army Corps. She was honorably discharged in 1945 with the rank of Staff Sergeant and married Herman J. Reitz that same year. She and her husband moved to Florida in 1946 when he joined the faculty of the University of Florida’s Citrus Experiment Station (now the Citrus Research and Education Center) at Lake Alfred. She had diverse interests including family and friends, dancing, travel, and crafts and was active in community life. Dr. and Mrs. Reitz moved to Gainesville in 2005. Mrs. Reitz was predeceased by her husband of 63 years and is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Reitz of Athens, Georgia, and son Max Reitz of Alachua, Florida. Memorial services will be announced at a later date; interment will be at the Florida National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.
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Your Mom was so accepting of me as your friend’s Special Friend, and I did appreciate that warmth . And I came to know your Mom, and Dad both, as
good friends. I know how you will miss your Mom, and going to see her
every day. I have found the thing is to find a way to share your love
with another who needs it. Lovingly, Martha Edwards and Harry Ford
We salute you.
Your mother was a wonderful person. She was like a second mother to me when I l
lived in Lake Alfred. She was a very good friend to the Evans family. She was a loving , kind and warm lady. Alice loved her children. I will really miss her. Your
father was a good man. They were a nice couple and set a good example to others.
I will miss your mom Darleen Evans Stark
Dear Max and Betsy, I am so sorry about the loss of your mother. I know you will really miss her. She was a lovely lady, very gracious and caring. I am glad that she did have a nice long life and could be with you until she was 94. My mom is 88 and still in independent living. She does use a walker and has back pain, but she is hanging in there. We had an LA reunion in May (Did you get an invitation? I don’t know if we have your current address.) Some of us have decided to get together at a restaurant every 2 months. We have had 2 get togethers so far. We are going to get together again in April. I think we agreed on the 12th, but it could be the 19th. We would love to have you-all come. Please send me your email and/or address, and I will make sure your get an invitation. Again, I’m sorry for your loss. Love, Lynn
Dear Max and Betsy,
Your Mom left the message “no regrets”, but I do regret that we live so far apart and our paths have taken such different directions. I was explaining to my husband about how everybody – T. Max, Helen and Russell, the school, Palestine church – were just a few miles down the road from each other back in Kansas. I always thought Aunt Alice was so brave and adventuresome to be a WAC and to live far away in an exotic place like Florida. As you say, it is the end of that generation.
Our very best to both of you,
Arlys and Tom