VAN RITER, Ida

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona Monday, November 28, 2011 Ida VanRiter, 93, of Prescott, Ariz., born Dec. 25, 1917, in Tempe, Ariz., passed away Nov. 22, 2011. Arrangements by Chino Valley Funeral Home. ~~~~~ Chino Valley Funeral Home, Chino Valley, Arizona Ida Van Riter, Faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Ida was born on Christmas Day in 1917, to Susan and John Van Riter in Tempe, Arizona. When she was five years old her family moved to Flagstaff. They farmed pinto beans and raised cows, pigs, chickens and even a fawn that her dad found. In the summers her mom would take her to Bible conferences at the campgrounds in Flagstaff. When she was about 12 years Ida committed her life to Christ at one of those summer camps. Ida's mom was a strong influence in Ida's spiritual growth. They attended church together and many Bible conferences. Ida always had a heart for missions. For her last years of high school Ida lived with her (maternal) Grandpa Rohrig in San Diego and graduated from San Diego High School in 1937. She then attended the Bible Institute of Los Angeles (Biola). During her college years she was a member of a Biola group that would sing hymns for a ive radio broadcast on Sunday nights. Ida graduated in 1941 with a baccalaureate degree in music. During the war years Ida attended UC Berkeley. She graduated in 1944 with a Masters of Science in home economics. Ida moved to Pennsylvania and attended the Drexel Institute of Technology. She earned a Masters degree in Nutrition in 1955. For many years Ida taught nutrition at a nursing school. She also worked as a dietitian at a hospital in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Ida loved to read and loved theology. In 1970 Ida moved to Iowa to attend Dordt College. During her first year at Dordt, her parents wrote to her and asked her to move back home to Arizona--her step dad's health was failing and her mom needed help taking care of him. Although Ida's brothers lived near by they were busy with their families and could not help. So Ida gave up her further education goals and her career to care for her dad and mom. She moved in with them in their rock house in Chino Valley in 1971. After several years her father died. Her mom wanted Ida to stay and be with her, and she was happy to. Ida and her mom were early members of Grace Baptist church. She and her mom would bring mieals to those who needed it, give rides to those who needed to get to doctors appointments. They lived their lives serving the needs of their community. Ida began attending Prescott Presbyterian Church in the mid 1970's. She led many of the ladies' Bible Studies and was vice president of the women's group. Ida loved to arrange the flowers for the church and took care of the greenery in the church. Ida loved the Lord and was always generous to many missions and ministries. She rarely if ever missed a worship service or an evening prayer meeting. Even near the end of her life she wanted to listen to sermons all day long. She loved having her church family read the Bible to her for hours at a time. Ida never married; her husband was the Lord and she lived loving and serving Him all of her days.