Ray Monroe Ritchie, Sr.

Obituary: KANNAPOLIS - Ray Monroe Ritchie, Sr., age 84, died Thursday, January 12, 2012, at the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston-Salem, after battling a very lengthy illness.Mr. Ritchie was born January 20, 1927, in Rowan County, the son of the late Gilbert Henderson Ritchie and Ila Clemmentine Brown Ritchie. Ray played basketball and baseball while at Lenoir-Rhyne College and graduated in 1949.Survivors include his beloved wife and best friend of 59 years, Jane Cress Ritchie; a son, Ray Monroe Ritchie, Jr.; a daughter, Carolyn Ritchie Wiley; a granddaughter, Laura Jane Wiley; a grandson, Charles Michael Wiley; two brothers, Herman Ritchie and Jay Ritchie; two sisters, Mary Ritchie Sherrill and Lottie Ritchie Simpson; and many special nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers, George Ritchie and the Reverend Hoke Ritchie. Ray worked at Cannon Mills for 45 years, starting in 1948, even before graduating from college, until his retirement in 1993. His first job was in the weave room and his last job was supporting the sale function in sheet merchandising. Ray served in the US Army from 1954 to 1956, completing his service at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. Ray was a life long Lutheran, growing up at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Salisbury. Jane and Ray joined Kimball Lutheran Church in Kannapolis in 1953. Ray served in many capacities including church council, finance committee, and was a member of the Joe Ridenhour Sunday School Class.Ray will be remembered as a kind and gentle man who was very loyal and devoted to his family and friends, his work, his church and his country .Service and Visitation: The family will receive friends at Whitley's Funeral Home from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 14th . A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, January 15th at Kimball Memorial Lutheran Church, Kannapolis, officiated by Rev. John Sell and Rev. David Long (a special neighbor in the 1950s). A graveside service will follow at Carolina Memorial Park. Memorials: May be made to Carolinas Medical Center - Northeast, 920 Church Street North Concord, NC 28025;or Lutheran Family Services of the Carolinas, PO Box 2369, Salisbury, NC 28145; or Lenoir-Rhyne University, 625 7th Avenue NE, Hickory, N.C. 28601; or Pastor Richard Rhodes Discretionary Fund, Kimball Lutheran Church.The family is especially appreciative of the wonderful doctors and nurses that cared for Ray during his lengthy illness, and especially Dr. Doug Kelling.Whitley's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.whitleysfuneralhome.com.
Visitation: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Saturday January 14, 2012 Whitley's Funeral Home Kannapolis, NC

Service: Memorial Service 2:00 pm Sunday January 15, 2012 Kimball Lutheran Church Kannapolis, NC

Interment: Carolina Memorial Park Kannapolis, NC