Lee "Port" David Ritter

Lee D. "Port" Ritter, age 99 years and 364 days, of Winnebago, died Saturday, September 8, 2012, at Parker Oaks in Winnebago. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, at 11:00 AM, at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth, with Rev. Penny Jane Ritter officiating. Burial will be in Basey Cemetery, Winnebago. Visitation time will be one hour prior to services at Patton Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 400 E. 14th Street in Blue Earth. Web tributes may be left at www.pattonfh.com Memorial donations are preferred to the Basey Cemetery or United Hands Hospice.Lee was born September 9, 1912, on the family farm in Winnebago, the son of Henry and Louise (Nagel) Ritter. He was married to Morna I. Maine on October 4, 1933 in Amboy. Port farmed for many years in the Basey area and had driven bus for the Huntley School District. He worked seasonally for Stokely Van Camp Co. for many years and was a Trojan Seed Corn Dealer. He was a lifetime member of Basey Methodist Church and the Jim Beam Bottle Club. Port loved hunting and fishing and exotic animals such as his many birds and peacocks and Barney, his bull buffalo. Family was very important to him and he especially loved being with his grandchildren and other family and friends. Lee D. "Port" Ritter is survived by his daughter, Pat (Ralph) Messer of Granada, his son, Jack (Peach) Ritter of Amboy, his daughter, Pam (Buzz) Hanson of Blue Earth, his daughter, Deb (Mike) Butler of Winnebago , his sister, Marge Poole of Winnebago, fifteen grandchildren, twenty three great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren.He was preceded in death by his parent, wife, Morna in 2000, sons, Dickie in 1937 and Gary "Punk" Ritter in 2002, daughter, Ramona Alcott in 2004, three sisters and two brothers.