Ritchie Dexter Newell

Ritchie Dexter Newell was born on November 11, 1963, at the Fort McPherson Army Hospital in East Point, Georgia, the second of five children born to Louis W. Newell, Jr. and Queenette Anthony Newell. He was educated in the Atlanta Public Schools and graduated from Fulton High School in 1982.

Ritchie built a rich and varied professional life, working with corporations such as Wilson Trucking, the Coca-Cola Company, IBM, and Marriott. He ultimately discovered his true calling in Law Enforcement. He began his service as an Investigator in the Office of the Solicitor General at the City of Atlanta Traffic Court, where he took special pride in supporting jury trials alongside the Assistant Solicitors. Ritchie attended the Fulton County Public Safety Training Center and earned his Georgia Peace Officer Certification. When the courts consolidated into the City of Atlanta Municipal Court, he continued his work as an Investigator-devoted to uncovering the witness, answer, or evidence needed to ensure justice.

Ritchie cherished his nieces and nephews deeply, serving as a steady, loving, and influential presence in their lives. In March 2011, he accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized at the Ray of Hope Christian Church by Dr. Cynthia L. Hale, Senior Pastor.

A man of wide-ranging interests and boundless curiosity, Ritchie was best known as an avid fisherman-whether casting into peaceful freshwater lakes or braving the open deep sea-and he found great joy in sharing his catch with friends and family. A gifted cook and true "Iron Chef," he sought out wholesome, locally sourced ingredients and delighted in preparing delicious meals for those he loved. He was also an enthusiastic traveler who enjoyed European and Caribbean cruises and embraced every opportunity for adventure. His passions further extended to Reggae music, Pan-African literature, alternative medicine, and emergency preparedness.

With his earthly work complete, Ritchie was called into eternal rest on December 4, 2025. We are comforted in knowing he is absent from the body but present with the Lord. He was preceded in death by his father, Louis W. Newell, Jr.

He leaves to cherish his memory his beloved mother, Mrs. Queenette Anthony Newell; siblings, Carla (Lonnie) Mapp; Anthony Newell, Roderick (Lawanda) Newell, and Carlos (Juanshe) Newell; nieces and nephews Marquita (Brandy) Cockrell, Roderick Wiley, Brittney (Majah) Couzan, Tierra Newell, Miyah Forbes, Jordan Newell, Anthony (Janiah) Newell, Jr., Tariq Newell, and Mykel Newell; and Rosalind A. Rubens, who was the love of his life.

Ritchie will be remembered for his strong work ethic, his intellectual curiosity, his devotion to family, his generosity of spirit, and the love he shared so freely throughout his life.

Services entrusted to Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, 4347 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur, GA 30034.