Ronald Ritchie, Class of 1961

Ronald Ritchie ’61 died Dec. 30, 2020. Ron was born on Jan. 23, 1940, on Staten Island, New York. After graduating high school, Ron left New York to attend Otterbein University where he was involved in Lambda Gamma Epsilon (Kings) fraternity, WOBN radio, ROTC, and met his late wife, Carol Strauss Ritchie ’62.

After completing the ROTC program, Ron was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. After serving several years of active duty with the USAF, Ron earned a Master’s Degree from Rutgers University. He was subsequently hired by Union Carbide Corporation, where he enjoyed a 30+ year career in human resources. Following active-duty service, Ron continued to serve his country in the Air Force Reserve. He was honorably discharged as a Captain in 1970.

During their time together, Ron and Carol had two children, sons Eric and Craig, and made their home in Delaware, West Virginia, Ohio, Texas, and Connecticut before retiring to South Carolina in 1997. After his wife Carol passed away in 2005, Ron married his second wife, Mary Ellen Wieneke Keller Ritchie, with whom he shared a loving ten years until Mary Ellen’s passing in 2018. Ron was an avid history and nature buff, which was reflected in his post-retirement activities, including serving as a docent at the Middleton Plantation, a volunteer on Kiawah Island’s Human Resources Committee, sea turtle patrol, and as an officer of Kiawah Island’s Exchange Club. Ron also loved to travel the world and visited dozens of countries on six continents during his life with both Carol and then Mary Ellen.

Ron was preceded by his parents, George and Lily Ritchie; his sister, Brenda Ritchie; his first wife, Carol Ritchie, and his second wife, Mary Ellen Ritchie. He is survived by his sons, Eric and Craig; his daughters-in-law, Suzanne and Amy; and his grandchildren, Alexander, Jordan, Savannah, Alan, Evan, and Andrew.