Rowena Reitz Tilton
Rowena Reitz Tilton went to meet her heavenly Father on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022.
ShewasbornJan.8,1926, in Olean, N.Y., to Thurman and Laurel (Brown) Miller.
Rowena went to a oneroom schoolhouse until the eighth grade, then entered Hinsdale Central School where she graduated.
She went to business school to complete her education.
Rowena worked in a factory, during World War II, making parachutes for our military.
She met Lewis William Reitz at a dance in 1946. They married Oct. 15, 1946, and lived in Olean.
Years later they moved to Pennsylvania, Kansas and Texas.
To this union they had four boys.
Rowena worked at the Medical Arts Hospital and the Brownwood Memorial Hospital in Brownwood, Texas, for many years as the business office manager.
Lewis died on April 1, 1975.
Rowena married Rollin Jack Tilton on April 19, 1986. Jack died Nov. 14, 1988.
Rowena lived in Brownwood for several years before moving to Round Rock, Texas, where Terry and Karen lived, then on to Kingfisher where Bill and Dawn live.
She was always happy and laughing. She had a good sense of humor and a very sharp memory.
She could recall dates, times and experiences she had throughout life. She loved having her kids around, but she really loved having her grandchildren and great-grand children around.
She loved keeping up with all their activities.
In her later years it was difficult for her to get out, so she kept up with her boys and the grandchildren by Facebook and her Portal; she loved being able to see them and talk to them.
Rowena was very profi cient with the computer. She emailed her boys who lived in Texas and New Mexico each week to keep up with their lives.
She was a friend to all the residents at Autumn Trace Apartments, where she lived until her passing. They were all very special to her, especially Mary.
She will be missed here on this earth, but she will be rejoicing in heaven.
Those who preceded her in death were her parents Thurman and Laurel C. (Brown) Miller, her 4-yearold brother Herbert, husbands Lewis and Jack, son Ted and grandson Jeffery.
She is survived by her children, Thurman and Diane (Walton) Reitz of Tierra Amarilla, N.M., Terry and Karen (Barclay) Reitz of Round Rock, Texas, and Bill and Dawn (Smith) Reitz of Kingfisher; grandchildren Tammy Kurzewski, Laurel Lambert, June Reitz, Christopher Reitz, Stacy Reitz, Cody Blankenship, Brett Watson, Amber Hyden, Jill Jastroch, and Kristin Reitz of Texas, Randy Reitz of Oklahoma, Clinton Reitz and Mitzi Blankenship of Kansas, Will Blankenship of Louisiana, and Ted Watson of Missouri. She also leaves behind 25 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Kingfi sher at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 26 with Reverend Timothy McCarty officiating. Burial will be in Brownwood, Texas, at a later date.