Margaret Leece Hritz

Margaret L. Hritz August 2, 1937 – December 4, 2023 Margaret “Marty” Hritz stepped into eternity and met Jesus face-to-face on December 4, 2023, and heard “well done, thy good and faithful servant”. What a glorious reunion it was as she saw her Savior face-to-face for the very first time and was reunited with her husband, Charley, and all of her other family who had gone on before her. Margaret (or Molly as she was known growing up) was born & raised in Prescott, Arkansas, to parents, Leroy & Viola Phillips. She was the oldest of two with a younger brother, James Roy Phillips, arriving 3 years later. She was a daddy’s girl for sure! She was a majorette in high school and loved singing. She is a classically trained vocalist and very gifted. She went to college and got a music degree. While in high school and college (and beyond) she sang with various bands/groups in the state of Arkansas and beyond, as well as in churches. She received her master’s degree in education in the mid-1970s and was a schoolteacher by profession. She absolutely loved teaching middle schoolers, especially 8th graders! She taught in Prince William County Public Schools for 32 years at Jennie Dean Middle School & later at Marsteller Middle School. She was also a real estate agent with Keller Williams and loved working at Laws Auction on the weekends. Marty was always active in her church teaching Sunday School and singing in choirs. Her favorite group she sang and toured with was New Song @ Emmanuel Baptist Church in Manassas. She loved Jesus with her whole heart and that made her love people well! She married the love of her life, Charles (Charley) Stephen Forest Hritz in June 1977 and they build a wonderful life together in northern Virginia before retiring to Sanford, North Carolina in 2000, and living out their golden years at their lake home in Carolina Lakes. Her precious husband passed away in June of 2019 and in 2020 she moved back to Northern Virginia to live out the rest of her life in an in-law suite in her daughter’s home in Centreville, Virginia. She enjoyed visiting with friends, going out to lunch, dancing around the house (or wherever she was) & singing. She loved to worship at her church, Love Church Gainesville. You could see her on the front row praising Jesus and dancing with her walker! She is pre-deceased in death by her husband, Charles Stephen Forest Hritz; her mother and father, Leroy & Viola Phillips; and her “bonus” son, Charles Stephen Forest Hritz, II (Stephen). Survivors are her daughter, Christy C. Burnside of Centreville, Virginia; her grandson, Charles Stephen Forest Hritz, III (Forest) of Atlanta, Georgia; her brother, James Roy Phillips of Arkadelphia, Arkansas; her nephews, James Todd Sweetland-Phillips & his wife Tracy and their 3 boys (Henry, Kristian & Martin Thomas) of Landu, Germany; Eric & Cindy Phillips & their 2 boys (Owen & Colin) of Arkadelphia, Arkansas; and Clif & Reginia Phillips & their 2 boys (Colton & Caiden) of Benton, Arkansas. She loved her Arkansas family tremendously and went home to visit whenever she could. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, December 13 @ 11:00am at the offices of Love Church in Gainesville, Virginia (14370 Lee Highway, Suite 105). A private burial will be held at Stonewall Memory Gardens on Friday, December 15. Pastor Josh Baird, Lead Pastor of Love Church, will be presiding. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the youth ministry at Love Church, as middle schoolers were her heart & passion. To make a donation go to https://welovechurch.com/give/ or mail a check to Love Church, 14370 Lee Highway, Suite 105, Gainesville, VA 20155. Make a note it is in memory of Marty Hritz. “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love, does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7-8

Margaret Leece Hritz

August 2, 1937 - December 4, 2023