Ritter Clark Leaptrot

Ritter Clark Leaptrot was born in Thomaston, Georgia, on October 12, 1949, and passed away in Macon, Georgia. Her life was shaped early by loss and responsibility. At 16, a tragedy in her family changed her path, and she stepped into a role of caring for her sisters that she carried for much of her life. That responsibility became part of who she was, steady, protective, and unyielding when it came to the people she believed were hers to look after.

Ritter worked for 35 years at Robins Air Force Base. She believed in showing up, doing the job, and enduring what needed to be endured. She was a strong-willed woman who did not bend easily, and she was fierce and loyal in her relationships. If she claimed you as her own, she stood by you.

In her later years, dementia slowly took pieces of her memory, but not the habits that brought her comfort. She watched the birds, listened to music, followed crime shows as if she could solve them before the end, and returned again and again to her Westerns. These were the quiet rhythms that remained when much else had fallen away.

Ritter carried more than most people ever saw. She did not speak often about what it cost her, but it shaped her life and the way she loved, through duty, through protection, through staying when leaving might have been easier. Her love was not always gentle, but it was constant.

Her life was not simple, but it was real. She endured, she remained loyal, and she fulfilled the roles she believed were hers.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Royce Ernest Leaptrot, in 2019, and her sister, Starlett Israel, in 2015. She is survived by her daughter, Christie; her son-in-law, Sam; her grandchildren, Bryce and Ambrose; her sister, Twila; and her nephews, Clark and Ellis, and their families.

There will be no viewing at the funeral home. A private graveside service will be held for family. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to her favorite local animal rescue, Paws in Middle Georgia: https://www.pawsinmidga.com/donate-now

She carried much, endured quietly, and her story is now at rest.

McCullough Funeral Home and Crematory has the privilege of being entrusted with these arrangements.