James E. Ritter

Funeral service for James E. Ritter, 74, of Lawton will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at the Lawton Fort Sill Veteran Center Auditorium with Chaplain Randy Bolton officiating.

Arrangements are under the direction of Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home.

Viewing will be held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. with a special viewing and visitation for family and friends from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

James Evert Ritter, 74, of Lawton, Oklahoma, passed away on December 30, 2025, in Lawton. He was born on May 28, 1951, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to Dock and Marie Ritter.

James graduated from Apache Public School in 1969. He was later drafted into the United States Army, where he proudly served for two years. During his service, he was deployed to Germany and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and earned the distinction of Sharpshooter. Following his military service, James built a long and respected career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, serving in Civil Service for more than 30 years. An electrician by trade, he was known for his attention to detail, strong work ethic, and dependability. Throughout his career, he received multiple Awards of Excellence in recognition of his outstanding service and dedication.

James was a straightforward man who always let you know where you stood. He was caring, vocal, soft-hearted, humorous, and deeply devoted to his family. He found joy in the outdoors and lived life fully. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, scuba diving, bargain shopping, attending auctions, and raising his bird dogs. He was a proud member of the Lawton Rangers and especially loved tending to his herb and vegetable garden. Time spent at the lake with family brought him great happiness, and his favorite role of all was serving as lake and rodeo patrol. He also greatly enjoyed participating in the Mo Betta Quail hunts.

James is survived by his loving wife, Pamela Hennessee Ritter; his children, David and wife Jacqueline Ritter of Bixby, Amy Braly, Andrea Williams, and Ashley and husband Scott Watson, of Lawton.

He is also survived by his siblings: Lary and Sharon Ritter, Harold and Trish Ritter, of Newcastle; Albert Lewis of Chickasha; Danny and wife Sandy Ritter, Keith and wife Tracy Ritter, Sharon and husband Bryan Hurst, of Oklahoma City; and Glenda Mooney of Blanchard.

James was a proud grandfather to Brooke and Conner Boydston, Colton and Emily Nichols, Bryce Braly and Cord Dodson, Garrett Ritter, Carson Williams, Cooper Watson, Creed Watson, and Greenlee Ritter, and a cherished great-grandfather to Devyn Nichols and Bentley Cochrane.

Additional survivors include his aunt, Nadine Rhudy; nephews, Lary and Ryan; nieces, Londa and Lacey; and numerous other nieces and nephews; and his great-niece, Fiona.

James will be remembered for his honesty, loyalty, humor, service to his country, strong work ethic, and the deep love he had for his family and the outdoors. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter, Jamie Ritter; brother, Paul Lewis; mother-in-law Ruth Hennessee and son-in-law Kane Gholston.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the VA staff and Complete Care Hospice, with a special thank you to his personal care staff for their compassionate care.

Memorial contributions may be made in James's honor to Complete Care Hospice and the Lawton VA Center.