Julianna (Julie) Havens Rittmeyer, 79, of Savannah, GA passed away in her home October 20, 2020.
She was born in Newark, NY, August 30th, 1941 to Wilbur and Gladys (Westcott) Havens. She was married in 1962 to Andreas Rittmeyer. She graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) BFA and MST. Julie was an artist, teacher, mother, and grandmother.
Passionate about art, travel, history and politics, she expressed her love through her creativity, whether it was quilting, gardening, painting, cooking or teaching, and through her extensive charitable work including voter registration, literacy, battered-women support, and hospital support. She lived in Newark, Buffalo, Rochester, Zurich, Paris, London and finally Savannah. She taught at Avon High School, the International School of London, Nazareth College, Savannah Arts Academy and Bartlett Middle School. Julie travelled extensively in the U.S. and abroad.
She is survived by her children, Chris, Rob and Katie (Brown), their spouses Miriam, Pam and Earl; grandchildren Nico, Will, Jack, Maggie, Lily, Danny and Kristen, and great grandson Connor, her cousin Jeanne Dugan, Jeanne’s husband Tom Dugan and their boys Jeff and Brian.
Because of the ongoing pandemic an online zoom memorial service will be held on Saturday October 31, 2020 at 2 pm EDT.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Phalarope, a non-for profit organization that empowers women to better the lives of children https://www.phalarope.org/donate.
Her quilts and paintings can be purchased through a link on the Phalarope website with all proceeds to go to a scholarship fund to empower women to fulfill their dreams through education. https://www.phalarope.org/julie-havens-rittmeyer-fund
Her curiosity and thirst for knowledge were unquenchable. She became an overflowing well of information that she loved to share. A quirky, questioning, vibrant, bon-vivant, she lived a life in full with creativity and gusto.
