Jon Rittgers

Jon Andrew Rittgers, 31, of Mountain Iron Minnesota died Friday November 18th, 2023 in St. Paul Minnesota.

Jon grew up in Hibbing Minnesota. As a young boy he attended Assumption School, Hibbing High School, and East Range Academy of Technology and Science. Jon loved his days at Assumption school. He often returned there in his later years to visit with his old teachers. His teachers described him as a sincere, polite, curious, and even at age 6, “a charming” boy. He had an infectious smile that could light up a room.

He participated in soccer, baseball, Boy Scouts, and was an altar server in church for many years. He was in the high school play “Carnival” with his sister Kim.

Jon was well known as an avid reader and his books were his prized possessions. He learned to read with the Harry Potter books and by the end of high school he had three copies of the series. His passion for books carried into his adult years along with the love of video games and movies. His favorite movie was the Princess Bride. Any teasing he took for that fact he accepted with good humor. Jon also loved his time at Papa’s and Gram‘s cabin with his family. He liked to fish but he loved to ride on his tube, “Super Screamer.” He was known to spend hours collecting grasshoppers and toads, showing them off to anyone who would look.

As an adult Jon worked as a cook at several local establishments and in the Twin Cities. These included Sammy’s Pizza, Subway, Palmer’s Tavern and most recently The Sportsman’s Café. He was known for being a hard worker, bringing his sense of humor and enthusiasm with him to work. His good relationships with his bosses Sandy Rohwer and Patty and Andy meant the world to him.

He is survived by his parents, Jeffrey and Gina (Grillo) Rittgers, Mt. Iron, MN, his sisters, Brooke (Jed) Heubner, Hibbing, and Kim (Michael) Miller, Maple Grove, MN, his paternal grandma, Roberta Rittgers, Hibbing, and his maternal grandparents, Jim and Dolly Grillo also of Hibbing, his 7 nieces and nephews, Autra, Gabe, Thomas, and Eli Heubner, and Gino, Novak and Emmitt Miller, along with his birth parents, Darrick Weaver and Innocense Blaisdell.  He was preceded in death by his grandpa, Orville Rittgers.

Funeral services for Jon will be 12:00 noon, Monday, November 28, 2022 at the Dougherty Funeral Home of Hibbing.  The Rev. Fr. Brandon Moravitz will officiate.  Visitation will be from 10:00 am until the noon service at the funeral home on Monday.  Interment will be in Maple Hill Cemetery of Hibbing.  Arrangements are with the Dougherty Funeral Home of Hibbing.