Steven Rolfe Ritland, 78, passed away Friday, June 1, 2018, from complications from cancer.
He was born Feb. 26, 1940, son of Herbert L. and Letta O. Ritland.
He graduated from Dallas Center High School. He received a degree in mathematics from Iowa State University in 1962, in electrical engineering in 1964 and masters in computer science in 1968. He was one of the first students to graduate with a computer science degree from Iowa State.
While a student, he worked for Dupont, IBM and ISU in graduate assistant teaching programming courses. Following graduation, he worked at IBM in Rochester, Minn., as a software engineer until his retirement in 2004. While there, he received awards for outstanding innovation and contribution for the design and implementation of widely used software products.
He loved God and loved personal evangelism, including the distribution of tracts. He loved sharing his faith.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy; eight children: Rivkah, Jill, Shoshana, Caleb, Dan, Eunice, Marcus, and Bathsheba; three stepchildren, Elaine, David and Abinadab; 20 grandchildren; and two brothers Craig and John.
Services were Monday, June 4, at Adams Funeral Home in Slater, Iowa. Graveside services were in Bethlehem Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Smethurst Ministries at smethurstministriesusa.com/donate.
