Longtime business leader Larry Ritz dies at 97

By Jodi Schwan

Longtime business leader and philanthropist Larry Ritz has died.

He was 97 when he died April 8, following a stroke a few weeks ago.

image of Larry Ritz

Larry Ritz

The CPA became a partner with the former Henry Scholten & Co. in 1946 and went on to become “one of the leading tax and estate planning accountants in Sioux Falls,” according to his induction into the South Dakota Hall of Fame.

His community involvement was extensive. Ritz served as president of the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation and was named philanthropist of the year by the Sioux Empire United Way. He was granted lifetime memberships in the Great Plains Zoo and the VFW, and was a 60-year member of the American Legion.

He was inducted into the state’s Hall of Fame in 1996. His nomination read:
“Ritz admits to being competitive, energetic and disciplined, and to not being satisfied with just being a ‘joiner.’ He has a desire to be of service. It is a trait that will keep him from traditional retirement. He enjoys the challenge of setting goals and meeting them. Larry’s wife, Beryl, credits him with the virtues: honesty, faithfulness, duty, honor, adherence to the Golden Rule, confidence with humility, self-discipline, good and impartial judgment, and love of life. Larry Ritz applies each of these values in every aspect of life he loves. He has made a difference in every field of endeavor in which he has participated.”

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Longtime business leader Larry Ritz dies at 97

Longtime business leader and philanthropist Larry Ritz has died.

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