Orlou Reitz Raeber Burkemper, O.D., 96, died  peacefully Feb. 15, 2023, surrounded by family. She is remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, care-giver, friend and humanitarian. 

Dr. Reitz was born on May 11, 1926 in Waterloo. She was third oldest of 10 children born to the late Frederick and Leora (nee Reinhold) Reitz. She and her first husband Glenn (Johnny) Raeber, whom she married in 1947, reared 11 children of their own. 

Dr. Reitz was the first optometrist in Waterloo. After graduating from Waterloo High School in 1944, she attended Northern Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, where she earned her Doctor of Optometry degree in 1947. She began her practice in September 1947 and for 20 years was the only eye doctor serving the community.

During her professional career, Dr. Reitz became active with the humanitarian organization Volunteer Optometrists in Service to Humanity. As a member of VOSH, she made two trips into the rain forest of Guatemala to provide eye care to the indigenous people living there.

After she finished her 40-year career in 1987, she and her husband, Robert, joined the Peace Corps briefly before spending 20 years volunteering with the U.S. National Park Service. Much of that time they spent working as campground hosts at Glacier National Park in Montana. They also volunteered at Bryce Canyon, Zion and Big Bend National Parks.

Dr. Reitz’ adventures took her to 16 countries on four continents and to all 50 states.

Between 1976 and 1985, Dr. Reitz hosted 10 exchange students who attended school years at Gibault Catholic High School in Waterloo. She considered them to be her children and they still call her mother: Odinei and Elisiana Cavinatto of Brazil, Luis Rivera, Pilar San Juan, Alberto and Jose Loyola, Gonzalo Acosta, Fernando Guisa and Carlos Sanchez of Mexico, and Arturo Alverez of Colombia.

She is survived by her second husband, Robert Burkemper of Waterloo, whom she married in 1985; sons Mark (Marlou Eckert) Raeber of Millstadt, Joel (Helen) Raeber of Marietta, Ga., Glyn (Beverly) Raeber of Ames and Michael (Carol) Raeber of Waterloo; daughters Ruth Raeber of Gillespie, Karen (David) Kneib and Jane Drusch, both of St. Peters, Mo., Ann (David) Brant of Phoenix, Ariz., and Ellen (Jack “Lee”) Rowe of St. Clair, Mo.; son-in-law Troy Eppinger of Columbia; brother Neil (Dee) Reitz of Carol Stream; brother-in-law Frank Leingang of Costa Mesa, Calif.; sisters-in-law Margaret Reitz of Waterloo and Mary Reitz of Breese; and her “adopted son” Sam (Susan) Kohler of Waterloo.

Also surviving are grandchildren and great -grandchildren Matthew (Kelly) Raeber, Scout and Malcolm of Spokane, Wash.; Tara Raeber, Mataline, Camille and Evan Vail of Columbia; Gina (Bill) Thomas of Cleveland, Ohio; Melissa (Henry III) Meers and Weber of Chicago; Ryan (Shari Iwaki) Raeber of Las Vegas, Nev.; Andrew Raeber of Richmond Heights, Mo.; Jennifer Raeber of Chicago, Zach (Katherine) Raeber of San Antonio, Texas; Jason (Stephanie) Schneider, Jordan Rios and Tayha Schneider of Houston, Texas; Andy (Jaime) Schneider, Trevor and Jered Conway of Hecker; Emily (Tracy) Laskowski, Kennedy, Kamden and Mia Laskowski of New Baden and Shane Raeber of Washington, D.C.; Ann (J.W. Wright) Kneib, Liam and Xander Wright of St. Peters, Mo.; Dawn (Brian) Wagner of Truxton, Mo.; Richard Kneib of Branson, Mo., and Dean (Sharon) Kneib and Rocco Kneib of St. Peters, Mo.; Amanda and Adam Drusch of St. Peter, Mo.; Chase (Courtney) Brant, Austin and Hunter of Peoria, Ariz., and Christof (Sarah) Brant of Phoenix, Ariz; Melanie Thibeault of New York, N.Y., Virginia (Jason Reynolds) Rowe and Riley Reynolds of Wentzville, Mo.; and Claire Eppinger of Columbia.

In addition to her parents and first husband, she was preceded in death by her children Lee Raeber and Mary Eppinger; siblings and their spouses Roger and Margaret Reitz, Leroy and Jeanette Reitz, Glenn Reitz, Floyd and Evelyn Reitz, Frederick Reitz, Germaine Leingang, Aaron and Janet Reitz and Carol Reitz; as well as her in-laws Harold and Rose Raeber, Lillian and Larry Goley, Adelia and Andrew Bryant; and her sons-in-law John Layton and Richard Drusch. 

Dr. Reitz has donated her body to St. Louis University School of Medicine for educational and scientific purposes.

There will be no funeral, but a celebration of life will be scheduled later this spring.

Donations in her memory may be made to Ss. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Waterloo.