Salvatore (Sam) Ritacca

Salvatore (Sam) Ritacca, 80, of Fountain Hills passed away on June 7, 2021. Sam was born on Aug. 4, 1940, in Kenosha, Wis., to Joseph and Yolanda Ritacca and was the eldest of four siblings.

Sam graduated from Bradford High School and earned a Bachelor of Education degree from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Sam was a member of the men’s chorus, a football, basketball, and wrestling coach, an exchange student program director, and had a 40–plus–year high school teaching career at St. Joseph, Tremper, and Fountain Hills in mathematics, economics, geography, history and social studies.

Sam was a giving, gentle, selfless, loyal, kind, exceptional and beloved husband to Rose, father to two daughters whom he considered his angels, and grandfather of three. Sam had a passion for his family (near and far), the north woods, fishing, deer hunting, boating, trivia, Sheepshead, cribbage, the Green Bay Packers, movies, traveling, knowledge, real estate and home improvement, and was truly a Renaissance man.

Sam is survived by his loving wife, Rose Ritacca; his daughters, Monique (Louis) Herena and Nicole Ritacca; his grandchildren, Matthew, Michael and Mia Herena; his brother, Joseph (Joan) Ritacca; his sisters, Rosemarie (Charles) Herman and Jenniene (Kenneth) Mallalieu; his in-laws John (Lauraine) Scola, Lena Marescalco, Juliet (Michael) Martin, and Dominic (Frederick) Scola; and extended family.

A celebration of Sam’s life will be held at a later date. Donations can be made in memory of Sam to the American Heart Association.