John Ritchie
1944 - 2025
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Dr. John William Ritchie, Jr., 80, formerly of Jamestown, NY, died on September 20, 2025, at Hilltop, a senior living community in Winchester, VA.
Born on December 23, 1944, in Darby, Pennsylvania, he was the son of John William and Edna Lillian Ritchie.
As a kid growing up in Philly, John played on the Little League team that won Pennsylvania's state championship in 1957. A life-long Phillies Phanatic, John kept up an annual pilgrimage to Florida to watch spring training as long as he could.
John graduated high school, achieving a perfect score in math on his SATs. He earned his bachelor's degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he played on the football team and met his future wife, Mary. John attended graduate school on the GI Bill. He earned his master's degree at Boston College and his Doctorate in Education (EdD) from the University of Cincinnati.
John served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1966. He served as a Platoon Leader and Civic Action Officer in the 25th Infantry Division (Tropic Lightning) in Cu Chi, Vietnam in 1967. He was Company Commander and Instructor in the U.S. Army Signal School in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey in 1968.
John and Mary eventually settled down in Jamestown, NY where they raised their three children. They later moved to Winchester, Virginia.
John spent his career as an educator. He was a professor of sociology at Jamestown Community College (JCC) in Jamestown, NY for 30 years. Before JCC, he spent a year in the National Teacher Corps in Lowell, MA, served as principal of Pickerington Junior High School in Pickerington, Ohio, and taught as an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati's Clermont County campus in Batavia, Ohio. A strong advocate for education, John served on the school board of the Jamestown Public Schools.
John loved debating politics, even with unwilling participants! He encouraged his children to debate and discuss issues ranging from policy to philosophy at the dinner table. John was a strong advocate for open debate and life-long education. He continued to send his children newspaper clippings, with notations, into the later years of his life.
John had a soft spot for his pets. He and Mary adopted several rescue dogs and cats over the years. He spoke his sweetest words to the family cats, always named "Kitty" (and "Other Kitty" when they had two).
John had a charming sense of humor, often self-deprecating. He enjoyed chatting with strangers and making them laugh.
He is survived by his three children, Daniel (Lisa) Ritchie, David (Meghan) Ritchie, and Melinda "Molly" Ritchie (Jason Coronel); and four grandchildren, Micah, Sawyer, Sabine, and Brynna. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews, Rich, Gary, Kristin, Candace, Rebecca, Timothy, and John.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Helen (Eckstein) Ritchie, his brother, Kenneth Ritchie, his parents, and his aunt, Elizabeth "Bette" Durkin.
Memorial donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org
Born on December 23, 1944, in Darby, Pennsylvania, he was the son of John William and Edna Lillian Ritchie.
As a kid growing up in Philly, John played on the Little League team that won Pennsylvania's state championship in 1957. A life-long Phillies Phanatic, John kept up an annual pilgrimage to Florida to watch spring training as long as he could.
John graduated high school, achieving a perfect score in math on his SATs. He earned his bachelor's degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where he played on the football team and met his future wife, Mary. John attended graduate school on the GI Bill. He earned his master's degree at Boston College and his Doctorate in Education (EdD) from the University of Cincinnati.
John served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1966. He served as a Platoon Leader and Civic Action Officer in the 25th Infantry Division (Tropic Lightning) in Cu Chi, Vietnam in 1967. He was Company Commander and Instructor in the U.S. Army Signal School in Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey in 1968.
John and Mary eventually settled down in Jamestown, NY where they raised their three children. They later moved to Winchester, Virginia.
John spent his career as an educator. He was a professor of sociology at Jamestown Community College (JCC) in Jamestown, NY for 30 years. Before JCC, he spent a year in the National Teacher Corps in Lowell, MA, served as principal of Pickerington Junior High School in Pickerington, Ohio, and taught as an assistant professor at the University of Cincinnati's Clermont County campus in Batavia, Ohio. A strong advocate for education, John served on the school board of the Jamestown Public Schools.
John loved debating politics, even with unwilling participants! He encouraged his children to debate and discuss issues ranging from policy to philosophy at the dinner table. John was a strong advocate for open debate and life-long education. He continued to send his children newspaper clippings, with notations, into the later years of his life.
John had a soft spot for his pets. He and Mary adopted several rescue dogs and cats over the years. He spoke his sweetest words to the family cats, always named "Kitty" (and "Other Kitty" when they had two).
John had a charming sense of humor, often self-deprecating. He enjoyed chatting with strangers and making them laugh.
He is survived by his three children, Daniel (Lisa) Ritchie, David (Meghan) Ritchie, and Melinda "Molly" Ritchie (Jason Coronel); and four grandchildren, Micah, Sawyer, Sabine, and Brynna. He is also survived by his nieces and nephews, Rich, Gary, Kristin, Candace, Rebecca, Timothy, and John.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Helen (Eckstein) Ritchie, his brother, Kenneth Ritchie, his parents, and his aunt, Elizabeth "Bette" Durkin.
Memorial donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org
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