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Birth:          24 Sep 1937 Bolivar, N.Y.
Death:          14 Nov 2011 Milton, Wis.

Notes
!PUBL
obit of Mae B. Arlouine Brown Breiding
of Milton, Wisc.
Browns-Hartman tree on ancestry
1940 in Bolivar, Allegany Co., N.Y.
http://www.gazettextra.com/article/20111114/COMMUNITY04/311149973
September 24, 1937 - November 14, 2011Gail Marie (Cowles) Ritsema, 74, of Milton, 
WI, passed away on Monday, Nov. 14, 2011, at home. She was born Sept. 24, 1937, 
to Edgar Warren Cowles and Mae Arlouine (Brown) Cowles, Bolivar, NY. After 
graduating from Bolivar Central School in 1955, she attended the University of 
Illinois-Navy Pier, and then transferred to UW-Whitewater, majoring in education. 
Upon graduation, she began a 34 year career at Edgerton Community Elementary 
(ECE) in Edgerton, WI. She was a born teacher and enjoyed her career, co-workers 
and her students immensely. Her dedication included creating resource materials, 
serving as Grade Level Chairman, initiating participation in the Rock County 4-H Fair’s 
education arena, the Ecology Speech Contest, Rock County Spelling Bee, and 
organizing student fund raising for the Statue of Liberty’s restoration. She also taught 
“College for Kids” at UW-Whitewater and assisted in creating ECE’s patriotic 
“Cavalcade of America” program. Gail later obtained a Masters in Education Degree 
from UW–Whitewater. She found joy in learning and spread this enthusiasm through 
teaching. A favorite quote illustrates the importance she gave education, “The world 
won’t stop if you don’t have an education, it will merely pass you by.”In 1958, she 
married Ronald Gerald Ritsema and they had three children: Lisa Holly Ritsema in 
1958, Ronald Reid Ritsema in 1960 and Melanie C’Anna Cowles Ritsema in 1966. In 
1995, her only grandchild was born, Olivia L’Mae Heckel. Experiencing the world 
through Olivia’s fresh eyes and sense of wonder was a great source of delight.Gail 
was a voracious reader, often making more than one trip a week to the public library 
to check out an armload of books on a variety of subjects. Biographies were her 
favorite. She possessed a sense of fun which included dressing up for Halloween and 
spending an entire Christmas vacation playing Monopoly with her kids the first year 
they received the game. She donated considerable time to sending clothing to the 
needy in Poland and was featured in the Janesville Gazette’s “Hats Off” article for her 
efforts along with receiving a hand-written note of gratitude from Lech Walesa, former 
chairman of Solidarity and former president of the Republic of Poland.Gail was a fun 
hostess, accomplished cook and enjoyed polka dancing, team trivia contests, 
genealogy, double solitaire over coffee and cigarettes, and games of Pica/Central, 
Battleship and Clue. She enjoyed computer Bridge, music, Betty Crocker’s 
International Cookbook and laughing at the quirkiness of her silly housecats. Most of 
all, she enjoyed humor. Her greatest and longest lasting friendships were with people 
possessing intelligence and wit.Gail was predeceased by her parents, four sisters, one 
brother and all but one of their spouses: Edythe Davie (Spalding) Bell, Guyla Lamae 
(William) Breiding, Virginia Rae (Joseph) Callen, William Edgar (Dona) Cowles, and 
Edwina Katherine Fulton.She is survived by her ex-husband, Ronald Ritsema of 
Edgerton, WI; and her brother-in-law, Richard Fulton of Bolivar, NY; in addition to her 
children: Lisa (Daniel) Nuhring of Grantsburg, WI, Ronald “Tiger” Ritsema of Las 
Vegas, NV, and Melanie “Fritzi” (Frederick) Heckel of Sullivan, WI. She is also 
survived by her beloved granddaughter, Olivia Heckel.In lieu of other expressions of 
sympathy, memorials would be welcomed by her hometown’s historical society: 
“B.R.A.G.”, 390 Main Street, Bolivar, NY 14715, or may be made to The Gail Ritsema 
Trust for educational purposes.Visitation will be held from 12:30 until 2:30 p.m. on 
Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011, at EHLERT FUNERAL HOME, 315 Lord St., Edgerton, WI, 
53534. A memorial service will follow at 2:30 p.m. with Pastor Matthew Smith-
Laubenstein officiating.
Wis Div Idx on ancestry
crlive.com/roots/b89.htm

Parents
COWLES Edgar Warren (3 Dec 1895 - 19 Nov 1955)
BROWN Mae B. Arlouine (22 Jun 1896 - 21 Feb 1983)

Siblings
COWLES Edith Davie (23 Nov 1918 - 27 Dec 1988)
COWLES Guyla Mae (20 Sep 1920 - 11 Apr 2007)
COWLES Virginia Rae ("Babe") (20 Nov 1922 - 17 Sep 1987)
COWLES William Edgar ()
COWLES Edwina Katherine ("Tilley") (26 Oct 1935 - 7 Jul 2004)
COWLES Gail Marie (24 Sep 1937 - 14 Nov 2011)

Marriage To RITSEMA Ronald Gerald (27 Jun 1929 - 12 Mar 2016)
    m. 11 Jan 1958 dv. 27 Sep 1974 

Notes

Parents
RITSEMA Andrew ()
HEYSE Marie Fredericka ()

Children by RITSEMA Ronald Gerald 27 Jun 1929 - 12 Mar 2016
RITSEMA Lisa Holly ()
RITSEMA Ronald Reid ()
RITSEMA Melanie C'Anna Cowles ()

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