Don R. Tritten

Don Tritten, one of three sons born to the union of Herman Tritten and Bessie A. (Johnson) Tritten, was born on March 26, 1934, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Don was preceded in death by his mother and father, and by his older brother Ernest Tritten. As a young boy, Don was baptized at King Hill Baptist Church. Don departed this life on Easter Sunday, March 31, 2013, at Cox South Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, at the age of 79 years and five days. Don is survived by his wife, Alma M. (Winborn) Tritten of the home, their three children, eight grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, his brother William Tritten (Rose Ann) of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, his sister-in-law Joann Tritten of Winchester, Kentucky, brother-in-law F.W. “Woody” Winborn (Carol) of Dixon, Missouri and a host of family and friends. Don and Alma were married on August 13, 1954, in St. Joseph, Missouri and all their children were born in St. Joseph. To this union were born three children: Susan T. Schulte (George) of Dixon, Missouri, David Tritten (Elizabeth) of Waynesville, Missouri, and Beth Wright (Richard) of Iberia, Missouri. His grandchildren and great grandchildren include: Mendy Blomberg (Michael) with Zoey; Nathan Purdome (Andrea) with Addison; Kyle Purdome (Teresa) with Kayla, Kylie, and Kali; Jason Tritten (Tracy) with Mabelle, Cash, and Millie; Elise Schnarr (David) with Matylda and Charlotte; Noelle Frank (Darin) with Gibson; Erick Wright (Katie) with Owen; and Jacob Wright (fiancé Kristina) with Allyssa Voegeli, and many nieces and nephews. Don started his banking career in 1956 as a teller at Tootle National Bank. Don progressed through other positions, leaving the bank in 1968 as an auditor. While in St. Joseph, Don graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin. Don and his family left St. Joseph in 1968 to travel to Overland Park, Kansas, where Don had accepted a position as comptroller with Columbia Union National Bank in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1971, Don accepted a position as cashier at Emporia State Bank in Emporia, Kansas, where his family lived until 1974. In 1974, the Tritten Family moved to Waynesville, Missouri, where they purchased the First National Bank in St. Robert, Missouri. Over the next several years they grew the business and converted the bank’s charter to First State Bank of St. Robert. On June 4, 1975, Don and Alma, along with partners, purchased the Bank of Iberia, and a few years later they purchased the Bank of Plato. In 1991, Don and Alma decided to slow their pace a little and sold the First State Bank of St. Robert and the Bank of Plato, leaving them with the Bank of Iberia. In 2002 the Tritten family decided to expand again, and they built and opened a branch of the Bank of Iberia in Waynesville. Don’s involvement in banking went beyond the banks that he worked for or owned. Don was a member of the Missouri Bankers Association for over 50 years In 2006 Don was inducted into the Fifty Year Club of the Missouri Banker Association. Don was a past president, director, and a current board member of the Missouri Independent Bankers Association. Don was a founding member and the director of Midwest Independent Bank in Jefferson City, Missouri. Don’s involvement in the community was extensive as well. Don was a member and deacon of the First Baptist Church of Waynesville, and a member and deacon of Westside Baptist Church of Waynesville. Don served with the Waynesville-St. Robert Area Chamber of Commerce, the Committee of Fifty, The Association of the United States Army, and numerous non-profit organizations, including Good Samaritan Resource Center and Genesis, A Place for New Beginnings. Don enjoyed hunting and golf, and also kept his priorities straight, with God at the top followed closely by his family. Funeral services were held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, April 4, 2013 in the Westside Baptist Church of Waynesville with Rev. John Shaw and Rev. Lindell Shelden officiating. Pianist Renita DeMalade accompanied Mike Freeman, Greg Gabel and Becky Lercher as they sang “Victory in Jesus”, “I’ll Meet You in the Morning” and “Jesus Hold My Hand”. Soloist Brian Bond sang “Give Me Jesus” and joined Mike, Greg and Becky as they all sang “I’ll Fly Away”. Don’s daughter, Beth Wright, recalled the family’s wonderful memories of Don. Burial followed in the Sunset Memorial Estates Cemetery of Waynesville. Services were under the direction of Memorial Chapels and Crematory of Waynesville / St. Robert. Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Don Tritten to the Westside Baptist Church Scholarship Fund and may be left at the funeral home.

Don R. Tritten

March 26, 1934 - March 31, 2013