The family of Alan John Ritsko announces with immense sadness his death on March 22, 2025 after a brief illness.  A kind, warm-hearted man of extraordinary intelligence, he was a lover of the arts, history, model trains, and antique clocks.  He will be remembered for his contagious laugh, welcoming spirit, and ever-present optimism.

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Alan grew up in Havertown with his loving parents, John and Helen Ritsko, and his older brother, John.  He attended Rochester Institute of Technology, earning a Bachelor of Science in Photography in 1971 and went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts in Film from Boston University, where he met his wife, Janet.  They married in 1974, had two children, and built a life together for 51 years.

Alan was the consummate storyteller with a command of history and a reverence for the past, but when in doubt, he never let the facts get in the way of a good tale.  With humor in hand, he would laugh at his own jokes, tell them again and laugh some more, just as his father, John, did time and again.

Throughout Alan's life, he continuously combined his creative pursuits with his entrepreneurial spirit.  In 1979, Alan published "Lighting for Location Motion Pictures," a seminal work on lighting design used in film schools nationwide.  Soon after, he became an owner of E. Howard & Co., where he combined his love of clocks with the business of manufacturing them by hand in the style of 18th and 19th century New England clock makers. "Imagine if clocks could talk," he would say.  "Think of what they have seen over hundreds of years and the stories they could tell."  We like to think that he now lives on as part of their narrative. For many years, Alan was the Managing Director of NOVA, the long-running science documentary television series.  Alan and his colleagues were the recipients of multiple Emmy Awards, multiple Peabody Awards, the Dupont Columbia Award, and others.  His work at NOVA brought him great satisfaction and joy; he was grateful to have known and collaborated with so many wonderful, highly talented people during his time there. Alan passed his love of clocks to his children, who now maintain his collection and continue to add to it.  He also passed his love of model trains to his grandsons, Merril (4) and Emmet (2), who would come over on Friday nights. The routine was always the same: "Granpop, are the trains awake?"  The answer was always a resounding, "Yes!"  They would run downstairs, choose a favorite engine (the mighty SANTA FE) and proceed to couple a long line of train cars together.  Alan often played the Tower Operator, and with a booming voice, responded to derailments that sometimes occurred. "Proceed with caution," was often his advice.

Those who knew Alan often heard him express his guiding principles for living: "It's a good day to be alive," and "You get out of life what you put in."  We are confident that Alan lived by these words and received an abundance of love and joy in return.

Alan is survived by his wife Janet; his children Nathan Ritsko (wife Ashley, daughter Charlotte) and Aliza Gallagher (husband Andrew, sons Merril, Emmet and soon-to-be born granddaughter); his brother John Ritsko (wife Dottie, daughters Kathy and Amy and their families); his sister-in-law, Diane Dupont (husband Richard Gentile); and his brother-in-law, Ron Dupont (wife Bonnie).  He was pre-deceased by his loving parents John and Helen Ritsko.

Visitation will be held on April 5, 2025, beginning at 9:00 AM with a Memorial Service to follow at 10:00 AM at the McNamara-Sparrell Funeral Home, 30 Central Street, Norwell, MA.  Interment will take place at Cohasset Central Cemetery, 25 Joy Place, Cohasset, MA.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or the South Shore Model Railway Club & Museum, 52 Bear Cove Park Drive, Hingham, MA.