Ray Roff Ritchie
Title
Ray Roff Ritchie
Source
Roush Funeral Home
Date
January 23, 1934
Text
Ray Roff Ritchie, a long-time resident of Ravenswood, West Virginia, born at Camden Clark Hospital in Parkersburg, West Virginia, on January 23, 1934, departed this life on January 27, 2023, to be with his Lord. Survived by his loving wife, Margaret J. “Peg” Monroe Ritchie, Ray was preceded in death by his parents, William S. "Bood" Ritchie and Myrtle Grace Twiggs Ritchie; his eldest son, Dr. David Monroe Ritchie; his sister and brother-in-law, June (Ritchie) and Jack Chambers; and brother and sister-in-law, William S. Jr. and Connie (Rector) Ritchie.
Youngest of Bood and Myrtle’s three children, Ray grew up in Ravenswood, attending its public schools and graduating from Ravenswood High School in 1951 where he was a multi-sport athlete. He particularly enjoyed basketball and football, even playing in the 1950’s state championship basketball game. When he was inducted into the Ravenswood Football Hall of Fame in 2018, it was noted that he led the Red Devils in scoring for the 1949 and 1950 football seasons, and that he was one of the school’s greatest receivers, having scored over 100 points in two years of receiving. Over the years, Ray and Peg were avid followers of all of the Red Devils’ and Devilettes’ athletics.
A 1955 graduate of West Virginia University, B.S. Civil Engineering, Ray had a keen interest in land and drainage engineering and the way things worked. He became a life-long Mountaineer fan and belonged to Beta Theta Pi, Scabbard and Blade, Chi Epsilon and Tau Beta Pi. Upon graduating, he married Peggy Monroe, daughter of the late “Doc” and Thelma Monroe of Ravenswood on June 30, 1955 in the Walton Memorial Methodist Church.
Ray served as an officer in the construction battalion of the Army Corps of Engineers for two years at Fort Benning, Georgia. He received an honorable discharge, holding the rank of Captain. Following military service, Ray and Peg returned to Ravenswood to raise their family where Ray joined the family firm, Boso & Ritchie in October of 1957. He worked for ten years as an engineer and project superintendent on road construction projects. In 1967, he joined the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp. (now Constellium) as a construction engineer, working as Administrative engineer in the Fabrication Plant Engineering Dept. until his retirement.
Ray enjoyed spending time with family and traveling with Peg. Ray was active in his community, serving on Ravenswood City Council for two years, and subsequently being elected to the Jackson County Board of Education where he served as President. He had the joy of presenting all three of his children with their diplomas. He enjoyed singing in the First United Methodist of Ravenswood Church choir where he and Peg were devoted members. He taught Sunday School, was a certified lay speaker, active in United Methodist Men and church conferences, and supported many different United Methodist causes. He especially enjoyed helping others less fortunate, participating in events such as mission trips to assist the residents of West Virginia’s southern counties.
He was active as a Scoutmaster where he was awarded the Silver Beaver Award in recognition of his exceptional character and distinguished leadership. He coached youth football and Little League baseball. He was a past-president of the local Jaycees. After retirement, he enjoyed taking the newspapers up to the Ravenswood Care Center and visiting with its residents. As he aged, he enjoyed car trips, watching the boats on the Ohio River at the Ravenswood boat landing and finding somewhere to stop for cookies or ice cream. In 2021, he became a resident of the Edgewood Summit in Charleston, West Virginia. Ray was a collector of memorabilia of all kinds. Mementos from his high school years and reunions, work life at Kaiser Aluminum, as an engineer on many highway projects with Boso and Ritchie were donated for public purposes to the Great Bend Museum in Ravenswood.
He will be greatly missed by his wife, Margaret J. “Peg” Monroe Ritchie, and his family, S. Douglas Ritchie (Judy) of Ravenswood, Shelley D. Ritchie (Cathlin Walker) of Marlboro, VT, and daughter-in-law, Dr. Caroline Williams (widow of Dr. David M. Ritchie) of Charleston, WV; his beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, J. Zak (Ashley) Ritchie and family (Belle, Mia and Will); Ross L. (Tiffany) Ritchie and son (Luka); Jonathan Ritchie; Molly Ritchie (Emily McHenry); Tristan Ritchie, Seth Ritchie, and Keaghan (Katie) Ritchie. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Charlotte McCoy (Ed), former daughter-in-law Marcia Jonczak, and many special nieces, nephews and other family members and friends.
Friends and family will be received from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, at the Roush Funeral Home, Ravenswood, WV. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church, Ravenswood, WV, Saturday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m. with an hour of visitation preceding the service. Burial will follow at the family plot in the Ravenswood Cemetery. Memorial donations are suggested in Ray’s honor and memory to the Ray & Margaret Ritchie Charitable Fund c/o PACF, P O Box 1762, Parkersburg, WV 26102, which benefits three local Jackson Co. causes (online gifts may be made using this link: pacfwv.com/rcf ), or to his church, First United Methodist Church, 719 Flinn Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164. Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting Roush Funeral Home Facebook page and website, roushfuneralhome.net
Youngest of Bood and Myrtle’s three children, Ray grew up in Ravenswood, attending its public schools and graduating from Ravenswood High School in 1951 where he was a multi-sport athlete. He particularly enjoyed basketball and football, even playing in the 1950’s state championship basketball game. When he was inducted into the Ravenswood Football Hall of Fame in 2018, it was noted that he led the Red Devils in scoring for the 1949 and 1950 football seasons, and that he was one of the school’s greatest receivers, having scored over 100 points in two years of receiving. Over the years, Ray and Peg were avid followers of all of the Red Devils’ and Devilettes’ athletics.
A 1955 graduate of West Virginia University, B.S. Civil Engineering, Ray had a keen interest in land and drainage engineering and the way things worked. He became a life-long Mountaineer fan and belonged to Beta Theta Pi, Scabbard and Blade, Chi Epsilon and Tau Beta Pi. Upon graduating, he married Peggy Monroe, daughter of the late “Doc” and Thelma Monroe of Ravenswood on June 30, 1955 in the Walton Memorial Methodist Church.
Ray served as an officer in the construction battalion of the Army Corps of Engineers for two years at Fort Benning, Georgia. He received an honorable discharge, holding the rank of Captain. Following military service, Ray and Peg returned to Ravenswood to raise their family where Ray joined the family firm, Boso & Ritchie in October of 1957. He worked for ten years as an engineer and project superintendent on road construction projects. In 1967, he joined the Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp. (now Constellium) as a construction engineer, working as Administrative engineer in the Fabrication Plant Engineering Dept. until his retirement.
Ray enjoyed spending time with family and traveling with Peg. Ray was active in his community, serving on Ravenswood City Council for two years, and subsequently being elected to the Jackson County Board of Education where he served as President. He had the joy of presenting all three of his children with their diplomas. He enjoyed singing in the First United Methodist of Ravenswood Church choir where he and Peg were devoted members. He taught Sunday School, was a certified lay speaker, active in United Methodist Men and church conferences, and supported many different United Methodist causes. He especially enjoyed helping others less fortunate, participating in events such as mission trips to assist the residents of West Virginia’s southern counties.
He was active as a Scoutmaster where he was awarded the Silver Beaver Award in recognition of his exceptional character and distinguished leadership. He coached youth football and Little League baseball. He was a past-president of the local Jaycees. After retirement, he enjoyed taking the newspapers up to the Ravenswood Care Center and visiting with its residents. As he aged, he enjoyed car trips, watching the boats on the Ohio River at the Ravenswood boat landing and finding somewhere to stop for cookies or ice cream. In 2021, he became a resident of the Edgewood Summit in Charleston, West Virginia. Ray was a collector of memorabilia of all kinds. Mementos from his high school years and reunions, work life at Kaiser Aluminum, as an engineer on many highway projects with Boso and Ritchie were donated for public purposes to the Great Bend Museum in Ravenswood.
He will be greatly missed by his wife, Margaret J. “Peg” Monroe Ritchie, and his family, S. Douglas Ritchie (Judy) of Ravenswood, Shelley D. Ritchie (Cathlin Walker) of Marlboro, VT, and daughter-in-law, Dr. Caroline Williams (widow of Dr. David M. Ritchie) of Charleston, WV; his beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren, J. Zak (Ashley) Ritchie and family (Belle, Mia and Will); Ross L. (Tiffany) Ritchie and son (Luka); Jonathan Ritchie; Molly Ritchie (Emily McHenry); Tristan Ritchie, Seth Ritchie, and Keaghan (Katie) Ritchie. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Charlotte McCoy (Ed), former daughter-in-law Marcia Jonczak, and many special nieces, nephews and other family members and friends.
Friends and family will be received from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 3, at the Roush Funeral Home, Ravenswood, WV. Funeral services will be held at First United Methodist Church, Ravenswood, WV, Saturday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m. with an hour of visitation preceding the service. Burial will follow at the family plot in the Ravenswood Cemetery. Memorial donations are suggested in Ray’s honor and memory to the Ray & Margaret Ritchie Charitable Fund c/o PACF, P O Box 1762, Parkersburg, WV 26102, which benefits three local Jackson Co. causes (online gifts may be made using this link: pacfwv.com/rcf ), or to his church, First United Methodist Church, 719 Flinn Ave., Ravenswood, WV 26164. Condolences may be shared with the family by visiting Roush Funeral Home Facebook page and website, roushfuneralhome.net
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Citation
“Ray Roff Ritchie,” Meigs County Library History Site, accessed April 23, 2024, http://history.meigslibrary.org/items/show/24106.