SARASOTA, FL – Stephen P. Hritz, Ph.D. (affectionately known as Doc) died Thursday, August 25th at the age of 89.
Doc was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He is survived by his wife, Jean, and her daughter Brandie, her husband David Raymond and twin daughters, Amelia and Arabella, and her son, Travis Shay and his wife, Ni. He is survived by his daughter Susan and her son, David Olson; Deborah, and her sons, Asher and Uri Zerbib; his daughter-in-law, Harriett and her children, Kevin, Thomas, and Janie; daughter-in-law Cynthia and her sons, Zachary and Patrick.
He is preceded in death by his wife Roni and his sons, Stephen, Christopher and Thomas. Born on May 28, 1927 in Trenton, New Jersey, Steve was one of 8 children born to Michael and Rose Hritz, who immigrated to the United States from Czechoslovakia in the early 1900s. A graduate from Trenton High School, Steve earned his B.S. in Education at Temple University, his M.A. in Education from New York University, and his Ph.D. in Special Education from Walden University. He also continued his professional development in Education at Rutgers University and Special Education at the Teacher’s College at Columbia University.
In a career dedicated to improving the field of education, Dr. Hritz served as Director of Education at the Drake School at the New Jersey Neuro-Psychiatric Institute in Princeton and as Associate Professor and Chair of the Special Education Department at Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey). In 1971, he founded the Princeton School for Exceptional Children and moved his beloved program to Hopewell Township in 1989, renaming it The Titusville Academy.
Stephen Hritz served with the United States Army in World War II, working in reconnaissance with the 3118 Signal Service Group in Germany. He continued his military service after the war as a cryptographer during the Nuremberg Trials. A lifelong athlete, Steve began his professional soccer career with the Philadelphia Americans in 1944, at the age of 17. During his military service, he played with the United States Army Soccer Team as goodwill ambassadors to the Allied Countries. At Temple University, Steve was an All-American Athlete on the Varsity Soccer Team. From 1948-1955, he won nine championship tournaments with the Elizabeth, Eintracht, and German-Hungarian Soccer Clubs.
In 1990, Steve was inducted into the Mercer County Old Timer’s Soccer Hall of Fame. Stephen P. Hritz was a warm soul, known for spouting out equal doses of wisdom and humor, endearing himself to those around him. His family and friends celebrate him as a man who inspired and guided them to be their best and pursue their dreams and goals with gusto. A man committed to his Catholic faith, Doc also had some proverbs of his own: If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life and Rush slowly and Be kind. The legacy he has left with his family, soccer, and education is a testament that he lived out all three, and for that, we are all the better.
In lieu of flowers, donations are being accepted for the Stephen P. Hritz & Family Scholarship Program c/o The Titusville Academy, 86 River Drive, Titusville, NJ 08560.
A Celebration of Life will be held on October 2 at 12:30 pm at Marsilio’s Kitchen, 71 W Upper Ferry Rd, West Trenton, NJ.
