Ruby Lee Juanita Whitman Ritchie

1920 - 2019

Ruby Lee Juanita Whitman Ritchie, 98, of Salisbury passed away on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, surrounded by her loving family. Born on Oct. 18, 1920, Ruby was the daughter of the late John Thomas and Mamie Whitman. Ms. Ritchie retired from the Stanback Company after 39 years of service as a machine operator. She was educated in Rowan County Schools. She and her husband liked to travel and she enjoyed crocheting afghans for her ever growing family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Wesley A. Ritchie, who passed away in 2001; brothers, Holland, Shelton and Caldwell Whitman; and sisters, Girlie Hamilton, Thelma Fink, Aileen Sherrill and Dorothy Readling. Those left to cherish her memory are her daughter, Brenda Ritchie Fulk (Rodney) of Faith; sister, Mildred W. Plummer; grandchildren, Christina F. Speer (Joel) of Salisbury, Wesley Fulk (Christie) of Salisbury and Melinda Smeltzer (Stanley) of Smithfield, Va.; great-grandchildren, Tyler Speer, Brandon Speer, Lanie Fulk and Austin Fulk, all of Salisbury and Courtney S. Long (Jeff), Stanley Smeltzer and Claire Smeltzer, all of Smithfield, Va.; great-great-grandchild, Ava Long of Smithfield, Va.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation: 12:30-1:45 p.m. Thursday, April 25, 2019 at the Haven Lutheran Church Fellowship Building, 207 W. Harrison St., Salisbury, NC 28144. Service: 2 p.m. Thursday, April 25, 2019 at Haven Lutheran Church with the Rev. Edward Harper and the Rev. Lynn Plummer officiating. Burial will follow at Chestnut Hill Cemetery. Memorials: Memorials may be made to the Haven Lutheran Church General Fund, 207 W. Harrison St., Salisbury, NC 28144 or Novant Health Rowan Hospice, 1229 Statesville Blvd., Salisbury, NC 28144. Lyerly Funeral Home is serving the Ritchie family. Online condolences may be made at www.lyerlyfuneralhome.com.