Andrea Klaess Ritter

Andrea Klaess Ritter
February 15, 1938–August 7, 2026

Andrea Ritter was a force of nature—feisty, spirited, lively, energetic, willful, strong, independent, positive, happy, free-spirited, creative, and enormously talented. She lived life on her own terms, with a curious mind, a generous heart, and, as she liked to say, “busy hands.”

Andrea was a maker and a creator. If something could be produced with a needle and thread, a sewing machine, a whisk or a frying pan, a camera, or a garden trowel, she was likely to try it. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu cooking school, she was a gifted cook who was never happier than when preparing a spectacular meal for her family. Her culinary talents were legendary, and her shadow layer cake, ziti salad, deviled eggs, deep-fried French fries, chicken cacciatore, and jumbo meatballs made with three different ground meats were fan favorites.

She was a seamstress, quilter, gardener, photographer, bowler, storyteller, and entertainer extraordinaire. She sewed all of her eldest daughter’s clothes until she became a teenager, when she finally begged for a pair of store-bought jeans. Andrea later turned her sewing talents into a side business at local craft fairs, “Aprons by Andrea,” creating elaborate aprons adorned with beautifully needlepointed initials.

Her creativity knew few boundaries. She made garments, quilts, appliqué, needlepoint, cross-stitch embroidery, and just about anything else that could be accomplished with fabric and thread. Her artistry extended to photography, and she entered her photographs in the North Carolina State Fair competition every year. She even entered her cakes—“semi-homemade”—until the State Fair promptly disqualified them. Andrea, naturally, was undeterred.

She had a lifelong love for Rodger, who benefited from her particular love language: food, served every single night at dinner. They traveled the world together during their empty-nest years, with fine dining a non-negotiable part of every itinerary. Andrea took detailed notes on local dishes and ingredients and, upon returning home, bought every cookbook she could find containing recipes from the region.

Andrea had a deep passion for the menagerie of animals that populated our childhood. There were typically multiple cats and a dog in the house at any given time. When relocating from New York to North Carolina, she also moved her four cats, three children, two hamsters, and one dog. Indeed, it was Mom—not the animals—who needed sedation during the long journey south. In typical Andrea fashion, some of her favorite animals were named for food, including her cats Crackers and Jam.

She was a fiercely loving and devoted grandmother and brought her unique humor, joyful enthusiasm, energy, zest for life, and unconditional love to her grandchildren. Whether creating a treasure hunt in her magical garden or teaching them to bake in her kitchen, her grandchildren simply adored her. Her joie de vivre was also manifested in her zeal for holiday decorating and décor, much of which she crafted herself. The grandchildren especially delighted in the annual life-size recreation of the Peanuts “A Charlie Brown Christmas” scene, which lit up the front lawn—and, seemingly, the entire cul-de-sac.

And then there was McDonald’s.  No matter how accomplished the cook, chef, and Le Cordon Bleu graduate, Andrea considered a daily trip through the McDonald’s drive-thru for French fries an essential part of life. To Andrea, some things simply could not be improved upon.

Andrea was a beloved sister, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, but undeniably, her own person. She leaves behind her brother Dick (Jean), her children, Christine, Andrew, and Jennifer (Tim); six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, as well as a lifetime of memories, photographs, quilts, recipes, stories, handmade creations, and probably more unfinished projects than anyone will ever be able to find.

A one-of-a kind personality has vanished from Earth. We can only imagine that Andrea is already entertaining the angels in the next life—with a delicious meal, a funny story, and perhaps a pair of beautifully stitched aprons.