Obituary of Leslie C. Rietz

Leslie Rietz, 90, passed away surrounded by his family and loved ones on Sunday, March 7, 2010. The seventh of eight children, Leslie was born at home in Chicago on April 12, 1919. He served in the Army during World War II, attaining the rank of Warrant Officer, and later graduated from DePaul University and earned his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Chicago. Leslie was a devoted member of St. Paul's Parish ever since he and his young family moved to Akron in 1955. A gentle, compassionate man, Leslie was universally respected and liked by his countless friends and neighbors in the church community, serving the parish through the Catholic Commission for Justice, Parish Renewal, as a teacher of Religious Education and through Solace, a grief counseling group he and his wife June founded and ran for 27 years. He was a social worker his entire career, including a lengthy stint at the Catholic Service League in Akron and at the Catholic Community League of Canton, at which he served as director from 1964 until his retirement 20 years later. He was regarded as a mentor to many and is remembered for his honesty and integrity in a difficult and challenging field. Leslie was foremost a family man, and June and their seven loving children were always at the center of his life. Warm and funny, Leslie was gifted with the ability to make everyone he met feel at ease and welcome. He was a man with a sunny disposition who enjoyed the simple pleasures well, and continued to report---right up to the end---that life was good. Leslie is preceded in death by his son, Joseph. He is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, June; his beloved sister, Sr. Edith Rietz of Maryknoll, NY; his children, Christopher (Debora) of Lansing MI, Mary Edith "Mimi" (Tim) MacDonald of Akron, Paul (Kay) of Columbus, John (Rachel) of Ann Arbor MI, Mary Clare (Mike) of Cincinnati, foster daughter Sandra (Mike) Fair of Cuyahoga Falls, nine grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday at 11:00 Am at St. Paul Catholic Church, 1580 Brown St. Akron, Ohio 44301. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday from 6 to 8 Pm AT THE CHURCH where a Vigil Service will be held Thursday at 8:00 Pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul's Parish Community or to the charity of one's choice. (Anthony Funeral Homes, 330.724.1281, www.anthonyfh.com)