Obituary of Timothy Merritt Tritch

Timothy Merritt Tritch 1963 – 2023 Tim Tritch died on August 25, surrounded by family and receiving phone calls from family and friends who could not be there in person. He heard their thank-yous, goodbyes and ‘I-love-yous.’ It was an outpouring of love for Tim, whose life was full of love -- for family and friends, for music, for fishing, bowling, playing cards, talking and telling stories about family history, his childhood and his hometown of Eagle Rock. Tim was the son of Jack and Betty Tritch, the eighth of the Tritch’s 11 children – six girls and five boys. He was a funny and carefree boy, known for his red hair, skill at baseball, and wit. Once, when his 5th grade teacher walked into the classroom carrying a broom, Tim quipped: ‘Did you just fly in?’ He was sent to the principal, who – legend has it – burst out laughing when he told her why he was there. Tim attended St. Dominic’s grammar school and Eagle Rock High School (Class of ’81). He worked in medical laboratories, first in customer service and then in sales. In 2015 and 2016, before he fell ill with complications of diabetes, he became the publisher of a local paper, the Boulevard Sentinel. On his one-year anniversary as publisher, he wrote that his favorite stories were those that had helped the senior citizens of the area. He played hard, too. He fished at his beloved Bass Lake, at Mammoth Lakes, the streams of the Crescenta Valley foothills, off the Santa Monica pier. He loved to take others fishing, too. He played guitar in bands with his friends and won more than his fair share of epic family Texas Hold ‘em tournaments. Throughout, his deepest devotion was to his siblings. He was a selfless caregiver for his younger brother, Steve, who died tragically in 2011 while awaiting a heart transplant. All who knew Tim know how profoundly that loss affected him. Tim’s door was always open, whether someone needed a place to stay or wanted to join a crowd on important game days, jam on their guitars or just hang out. He was always on the lookout for job openings for others. He always cheered on his nieces and nephews. He always was making sure that everyone had what they needed. He inspired devotion in others, too. His sister, Gail, was close by his side throughout his long illness. Many of his friends dated from grammar school and considered him family. Tim is survived by Gail and his other siblings, Joan, Mary, Stuart, Nancy, Teresa, John, Barbara and Alex, our Aunt Nellie and Uncle Miles, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Tim’s memory to CAST for Kids Foundation, a nonprofit that takes children with special needs on fishing trips, or Donate Life America, a nonprofit that works to increase organ donation. A funeral Mass will be held at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church, 724 E. Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, CA on September 13, 2023 at 10 a.m. followed by a reception in the church hall. Written by Teresa Tritch and Brandon Bennett