GEORGE WILLIAM RITCHIE
MARCH 9, 1949 – JUNE 23, 2022
~ By Pat Ritchie
I am so very blessed to have spent 40 years of my life with this wonderful man. He was smart, practical, talented & fully devoted to our happiness in our lives together.
George grew up in the Belmont area of Spotsylvania County on a farm. Not only did he learn to care for the animals and the crops, he had the opportunity to roam freely on a playground of many acres, exploring the plants and wildlife in the area.
His family later moved to Passapatanzy in King George County where he graduated from High School.
He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam from March 1969 – December 1970 with the 131st Aviation Company, 212th Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade, RVN as an aerial surveillance photographer and camera repairman. He was stationed in Germany after his service in Vietnam.
Although he worked as a carpenter and a construction worker for several years, the bulk of his career was spent at Earl's Supermarket and Earl's True Value Hardware in
Fredericksburg, Va. He was popular with the local customers who frequently sought his advice on various home projects, large and small.
Other than myself, George is survived by a brother, Rodney Ritchie in
Gordonsville, Va and a sister, Mary Graves in Spotsylvania County. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive him, living in various locations.
George and I shared an innate curiosity about the world and it's wonders. We loved to travel as often as possible to see the natural beauty of landscapes, oceans & wildlife. We visited over 350 National Parks, National Seashores, National Historic Sites, National Recreational Areas, National Monuments & National Military Parks from 1992 – 2021.
George was an avid reader of history books and biographies, particularly WWII material.
He was an artist. He painted pictures in different mediums, built furniture, did leatherwork & carved walking canes, among other projects.
George was a miracle worker in fixing up houses that needed a lot of work & repair. He could take an almost unsalable house and turn it into a beautiful place for us to live, customized just the way we liked it.
George's most endearing quality is that he was a very kind, generous person, touching the lives of so many people around him. I am so proud that he chose me to be his partner in life.
For those wishing to make a donation in his memory, George requested that donations be made to the National Park Foundation. For further information on making a donation, please contact
[email protected].