Richard James Gritzenbach, age 76, passed away on September 19, 2024. He was a resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, for 18 years and was formerly a resident of Phoenix, Arizona.
Richard James Gritzenbach was born on October 3, 1947, to Frederick Gritzenbach and Louise (Burns) Gritzenbach in Chicago, Illinois. He was the youngest of five boys from this union. He attended John F. Kennedy High School where he played baseball as a shortstop and graduated in 1966. There he met his first wife and high school sweetheart, Joy Serafin. Their nine-year union brought about his four biological children: Richard Jr., Marc, Julie, and Shane. Richard was a very loving father and dedicated to his family. He held many different occupations, mainly specializing in hospitality, and he was a hard worker with strong commitment to his workplace and community.
He met his second wife, Mary (Wierl) Gritzenbach, and they were married happily for 24 years. Richard was a stepfather and mentor to Mary’s two daughters, Angela and Stephanie. Over the course of their 24 years, they supported many charities and often volunteered in their community.
Richard was fond of fishing (especially in Lake Michigan) and attending sporting events of his favorite teams (Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, and Colorado Avalanche). He also enjoyed spending time with his family, enjoying local festivals/events. He was a proud member of Rocky Mountain Calvary Church.
He is survived by his loving wife, Mary (Wierl) Gritzenbach; his four biological children: Richard James Gritzenbach Jr, Marc Gritzenbach, Julie (Gritzenbach) Wilder, and Shane Gritzenbach; his two stepdaughters, Angela Ritter and Stephanie Kooistra; his two siblings: Fredrick Gritzenbach, William Gritzenbach, and Jerry Gritzenbach; his grandchildren: Julius Tornabene, Anthony Tornabene, Abram Wilder, Aiden Wilder, Alyssa Rivera-Gritzenbach, Jett Gritzenbach, and Zekiel Gritzenbach; his great-grandchildren: Owen Tornabene, Bensyn Tornabene; and his step-grandchildren: Dominic Hamill, Perrin Griffith, Merrick Griffith, Rick Stucki, Stephen Stucki, Faith Stucki, Savannah Stucki, Jerimiah Stucki. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Tommy Gritzenbach.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, October 18, 2024, in the chapel at Rocky Mountain Calvary Church, 4285 North Academy Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80918. A reception will follow from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM in the upstairs foyer of Rocky Mountain Calvary Church.