Memorial Field Pavilion to be Dedicated to Cecelia Ritter

Washington Township will dedicate the new Memorial Field pavilion in honor of Cecelia Ritter, a longtime resident and employee of the township who died last month.

Ritter and her husband, John, moved to the township in 1969 and she began working for the municipal government five years later, according to her obituary. She worked for the township for more than 35 years.

Mayor Janet Sobkowicz remembered Ritter as a dedicated employee who served as the registrar of vital statistics, board of health secretary and recreation department secretary, who also gave her own free time to help register children for sports and keep municipal services running smoothly.

"She helped everybody, took everything seriously and did what she could for our community," Sobkowicz said.

Ritter still has family in town carrying on her legacy of community service. Her son, Timothy, volunteers as a rec football coach.

Sobkowicz said she wasn't sure how soon the pavilion would be ready. Work to replace the playground at Memorial Field is expected to start early next month, and the pavilion renovations will come after that, she said.