E. Jane "Jane" Ritchey

Shenandoah Valley artist Elizabeth "Jane" McCarraher Ritchey, 88, passed away at home surrounded by loved ones on October 2, 2019. Jane was born and raised in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. After living in California and Pennsylvania, she and her husband of 42 years Thomas W. Ritchey, moved to their home in the Shenandoah Valley in 1996.

A prolific artist, Jane found endless inspiration in the beauty of the Valley. Over the past 25 years, her landscape and portrait paintings appeared in numerous area exhibitions including at the Augusta Art Center, Staunton; the 7 East Gallery, Woodstock; the Franklin Street Gallery, Harrisonburg; the Shenandoah Valley Art Center, Waynesboro; among others. Jane also donated paintings to area hospitals including Shenandoah Memorial Hospital, Augusta Medical Center, and the University of Virginia Health System.

She trained at the Philadelphia Museum School of Art, but considered herself a perennial student, as reflected in her artist's statement: "What keeps me going is that there is so much to learn; that's where the excitement is." While a lifelong serious student of art, Jane's love of animals, sense of humor, and occasional whimsical creative bent inspired paintings of Valley cows, chickens, llama, horses, as well as beloved pets.

Jane was an active member of Valley Education Center for the Creative Arts (VECCA) and the local National League of American Pen Women group.

She is survived by her husband Thomas W. Ritchey; two children from a previous marriage, Amanda Patton of Arlington, Virginia, and Lloyd Patton of Payette, Idaho, and three grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry B. McCarraher and Violet Marion Hiestand McCarraher, and her siblings Phyllis Nester, Eleanor Ferris, and Harry McCarraher Jr.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the VECCA scholarship fund, P. O. Box 787, Woodstock, VA 22664, please designate "scholarship fund" or to Cat's Cradle, Harrisonburg, VA https://www.catscradleva.org/donate.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.GrandleFuneralHome.com.