Ronald James Ritchie Jr.

Ronald James Ritchie, Jr. of Orange, CT, passed away suddenly at his home on January 30th at the age of 80. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Ronald (or, as he was known to his many friends and acquaintances, Ron) grew up in Ansonia and graduated from Ansonia High School in 1961. Shortly afterwards, he married Judy Ritchie nee Driscoll of Ansonia, with whom he shared the next 62 years of his life together with his three children, Karen Ann, Pamela Mary and Ronald John (R.J.). A tireless worker, Ron spent nearly four decades in the utility industry as a telephone lineman for Southern New England Telephone Company and SBC/AT&T. Ron was an avid outdoorsman, sports fan, and car enthusiast who enjoyed fishing, canoeing, gardening, playing along with Jeopardy, talking about the New York Yankees, watching UConn basketball, and tinkering around his property. A true New Englander, Ron especially enjoyed hiking in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, visiting Vermont, and vacationing in Denmark, Maine. He was especially proud of summiting Mount Washington, the region's highest peak, shortly after his 70th birthday. In retirement, Ron was, above all, the consummate family man who never hesitated to drop whatever he was doing to be there for his friends and family, whether that meant driving hours to watch one of his grandchildren compete in figure skating or swimming; burning the midnight oil to help a friend move; or maintaining a vigil at the bedside of an ailing family member. Through it all, Ron never lost his work ethic, sense of humor, or selflessness. A communicant of Assumption Catholic Church in Ansonia, Ron is survived by his wife-Judy of Orange, CT-his children-Pamela Hinton (and her husband, Cary) of Oxford, CT, and R.J. Ritchie (and his wife, Anne Marie) of Westport, MA-his beloved grandchildren-Julia Hinton of Boston, MA and Natalie Hinton of Washington, DC-his brother Kenneth Ritchie (and his wife, Debbie)- and his closest cousins-Connie Lieder (Corky); Carol Heffernan, John Konwerski, Jimmy Konwerski (Carol) and Donald Wailonis (Nancy). He was predeceased by his daughter-Karen Ann Ritchie of Seymour, CT-his siblings-Dennis Ritchie and Debbie Hyder of Ansonia, CT-his parents-Ronald James Ritchie, Sr. and Mary Ritchie nee Konwerski of Ansonia, CT-and many aunts and uncles. Friends and family may call on Friday, February 2, 2024 from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the Wakelee Memorial Funeral Home, 167 Wakelee Ave., Ansonia. Funeral services will take place on Saturday, February 3, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. from the funeral home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., in Holy Rosary Church, 10 Father Salemi Dr., Ansonia. Interment will follow in Orange Center Cemetery, Orange Center Rd. (Rte.152), Orange, CT. We ask that you keep Ron in your thoughts and prayers, and in lieu of flowers, please donate to Ansonia Animal Shelter, North Division Street, Ansonia, CT 06401, which can be reached at 203-410-7716. Online condolences may be made at www.wakelememorial.com. To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Ronald, please visit our Tree Store.