Word has been received Saturday afternoon of the death of the matriarch of perhaps the most famous athletic family in Wayland.
The daughters of Carol Ritz have indicated she died at home under hospice care after suffering a massive heart attack Wednesday evening.
Carol and Wayne Ritz had four daughters who have made major impact on Wayland High School athletics over the past five decades. Wayne died in a traffic crash in 2008.
Their four daughters, all of whom survive, are Cheri Ritz, Melissa Ritz-Johnson, Deb Merchant and Jennifer Ritz. Cheri is a Michigan Hall of Fame softball coach with two state championships, Melissa is coach of the Byron Center volleyball team, Jennifer Ritz is a nurse at Spectrum Health and at Biosense Webster and Deb is the mother of the second generation of first-rate athletes in Nicki Cardosa, Jessie Merchant, Brittini Merchant and Macy Merchke.
She also was a huge part of the Ritz Farm Market orchard business in Moline and the establishment of recreational softball in Moline.
More details and obituary information will be forthcoming.
