Albert August Reitz

February 22, 1934 – July 9, 2016

In the early morning darkness of the ninth day of July in the year of our Lord 2016, Albert August Reitz of Moses Lake, Wash. passed away from this earth peacefully in his sleep in Wenatchee, Wash.

He was the son of August William Reitz (1909-1980) and Katherine Kerbel (1909-1972) and brother of Helen, Mildred and Billy Reitz.

Albert “Al” was born on Feb. 22, 1934 in Belle Fourche, S.D. Being raised within a farming family, working cattle drives in his younger years through out the Dakotas, farming the fertile lands within the Columbia Basin of Washington state near the towns of Moses Lake and Warden and operating his construction business as Royal Excavation, Albert earned the well-deserved privilege of being a true cowboy and farmer. He instilled his strong work ethic in raising his own family of 10 children with his ex-wife Ila Couch. The product of his family creation that precedes his passing consists of daughter Sharon Reitz (1959-1978), granddaughter Shanna Hernandez (1979-1997), son-in-law Jim Macken (1949-2006), son-in-law Eddie Wurzer (1953-2012), brother Billy Reitz (1943-2005), sister Helen Reitz (2013) and mother of his children Ila Reitz (1936-2005).

Albert is survived by his children Marlene Macken (Jim), Abby Reitz, Linda Reitz, Pam Leeper (Jack), Twila Hernandez (Gilbert), Peggie Wurzer (Eddie), Kerry Reitz, Susie Hall (Kent), John Reitz. 19 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

The ashes of Albert Reitz shall be cast into the South Dakota soil of the Reitz family farm alongside his brother Billy in Belle Fourche.

He is gone in the flesh but he will always live amongst us in spirit through our memories and everyday thoughts.

“Lord, I reckon I’m not much just by myself; I fail to do a lot of things I ought to do. But Lord, when trails are steep and passes are high, help me ride it straight the whole way through. And when in the falling dusk I get that final call, I do not care how many flowers they send, above all else, the happiest trail would be for you to say to me ‘Let’s ride, my friend.’”

– Roy Rogers “A Cowboy’s Prayer”