Julie Rittenhouse, civic entrepreneur and committed citizen, exemplified the best versions of those words in 40 years improving the lives of Clevelanders. She passed away peacefully with family on October 11, 2023 in South Bend, Indiana.

Ms. Rittenhouse, 66, who arrived in Cleveland in 1982, helped transform St. Patrick Parish, Ohio City and Cleveland, crucially galvanizing the Housing First Initiative that led to more than 900 safe, clean residences for people who had been chronically homeless.

Poised, observant and possessing a legendary memory, Ms. Rittenhouse led a delegation of county and city government officials, activists, foundation staff and reformers to Chicago in 2002 to study the emerging movement to provide permanent supportive housing. The model worked to stabilize the chronically unhoused in their own residences as a first step, then providing an array of services. As a program officer for the Sisters of Charity Foundation, Ms. Rittenhouse exercised her signature diplomacy, perseverance and calm to help see the first units launched in Cleveland in 2005, an initiative that continues to thrive to this day.

"Julie was a committed Catholic social justice advocate, but she was also a shrewd political strategist," said former Plain Dealer reporter and editorial writer Joe Frolik. "She laid the groundwork by gathering Cleveland-specific research into homelessness, organizing seminars and visits to other cities, and assembling a broad coalition of social services providers, nonprofit developers, and political leaders to make it happen. And all the while, she stayed in the background, content to let other people get the credit."

Julie Ann Rittenhouse was born March 14, 1957, at Camp Pendleton, California, the first child of Peter and Mary Louise Rittenhouse. Julie and her five siblings grew up in Mishawaka, Indiana, and even as a child Julie showed an outsized talent for organization, hard work and understanding human nature.

Ms. Rittenhouse graduated with a Government degree from the University of Notre Dame. She projected a calm confidence that helped elect her president of her residence hall and Vice President of the class of 1979.

She joined Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Detroit, where she helped staff a Catholic women's center. She continued her service with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Cleveland. Ms. Rittenhouse graduated with a degree from the School of Applied Social Work and began to ascend into regional nonprofit leadership. Along with other Jesuit volunteers and members of the Thomas Merton House, Julie became a community stalwart, helping to anchor and organize the near West Side. St. Patrick Parish became a beacon for civic justice with Ms. Rittenhouse's friend, Fr. Mark DiNardo, at the helm.

Ms. Rittenhouse aided in the formation of the Cleveland Housing Network and rose to become board chair of Cleveland Mental Health Services, which became FrontLine Service.  Ms. Rittenhouse was also board chair of the Senior Transportation Connection, a nonprofit that helps seniors and people with disabilities move about the city.

"She was the perfect leader," wrote board member Howard Maier. "Julie's intelligence, kindness, inclusiveness and enthusiasm for the STC gave all of us the confidence to do our work."

As the social concerns chair of the Notre Dame Club of Cleveland, Ms. Rittenhouse put in decades of effective service, memorialized when the club voted in 2001 to honor her as the first woman to receive "The Man of the Year" award.

While Ms. Rittenhouse's career progressed at the Sisters of Charity, GAR Foundation and the Foundation of Cleveland State University, she spent 18 years as an adjunct faculty member teaching grant proposal writing at Cleveland State University Levin College of Urban Affairs. Colleague Rachel Singer said Ms. Rittenhouse's care for and effect on her students was profound. Most recently, she was Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations at Cleveland State University.

Julie is survived by Aimee (James) Kelly of Phoenix, AZ; Mary Beth (Gary) Vargyas of St. Charles, IL; Peter (Kim) Rittenhouse of Allentown, PA; Rebecca (Robert) Kelly of Wichita, KS, and John (Jennifer) Rittenhouse of Geneva, IL.  Surviving as well are her nieces and nephews, James (Mary) Kelly, Peter and Katherine Kelly; Sarah (Ian) Meitzler, Anthony (Claire) Vargyas, Alexander and John Vargyas; Ryan, Nicholas (Elizabeth) Rittenhouse, Michael and Peter Rittenhouse; Grace, Matthew and Daniel Kelly, and Hannah, Thomas and Elizabeth Rittenhouse.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 3, 2023, at St. Patrick Parish, 3602 Bridge Ave., Cleveland with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, charitable gifts in Ms. Rittenhouse's name can be sent to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, FrontLine Service, Senior Transportation Connection or the Death and Dignity Fund of St. Patrick Parish.

A Private service, Family Only, will be held on Sunday, November 5, 2023 in Cedar Grove Cemetery at The University of Notre Dame.

Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St., Elkhart, IN 46514 is assisting the family.

For those that wish to send a condolence, share a memory and for a link of Julie's full obituary please visit www.billingsfuneralhome.com.

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105
Tel: 1-180-021-6584
Web: http://www.stjude.org/memorial

FrontLine Service
1744 Payne Avenue, Cleveland OH 44114
Tel: 1-216-623-6555
Web: https://www.frontlineservice.org/donate

Senior Transportation Connection
4735 W 150th Street, Ste. A, Cleveland OH 44135
Tel: 1-216-265-1489
Web: https://ridestc.org/donate/

Death and Dignity Fund at St. Patrick Parish
3602 Bridge Avenue, Cleveland OH 44113
Tel: 1-216-631-6872
Email: administration@stpatrickbridge.org
Web: http://https://stpatrickbridge.org/donate/