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Obituary
Nancy Lee Gladwell Ritchie, 84, of Huntington, WV,
died Thursday, November 13, 2022 at Cabell Huntington Hospital after a
long illness. She was born March 18, 1937 in Charleston, daughter of
Arthur Lee Gladwell and Brownie “Bee” Loudermilk Gladwell of Dunbar.
When she was three years old the family moved to Lewisburg where her
father was eventually elected Mayor. She was graduated from Lewisburg
High School before attending Marshall University in Huntington and then
Greenbrier College for Women in Lewisburg. She was selected as a
princess in the Mountain State Forest Festival in 1956. She was a member
of Eastern Star. She was first employed by her family’s business, Bee
Jewelry Store in Lewisburg, and later in the office of the County
Extension Service for Greenbrier County. She married the love of her
life Garry Harlan Ritchie, a radio/TV broadcaster, in 1958 and moved
with him back to Charleston. She took a job in the Charleston office of
WOWK-TV where she earned money to help finance her husband’s college
education. In later years she followed his rising career to Cleveland,
OH; Stamford, CT; Cincinnati, OH; Gainesville, FL; Scranton, PA;
Portland, ME and back to Huntington, WV. An avid and expert quilter Mrs.
Ritchie belonged to a number of quilting clubs and societies and taught
quilting classes in Cleveland, Gainesville and Scranton. She won awards
for her quilts including a best of show in a state of Florida quilt
exhibition. Like her husband, Mrs. Ritchie also held a “ham” radio
license with the call letters WB8GSD, and was a member of the Tri-State
Amateur Radio Association. Her church membership was at Pea Ridge United
Methodist in Huntington. She is survived by her husband Garry, by sons
Arthur Harlan Ritchie of Lodi, OH (wife Lisa), and Michael Lee Ritchie
of DeLand, FL (wife Colette), and by grandchildren Brian Lee Ritchie of
Stratton ME, Amanda Nicole Ritchie Litteral of Galloway, OH (husband
Zachary), and Ashley Katherine Ritchie of Lodi, OH. Also surviving is
her brother, Dr. David Arthur Gladwell of Bedford, VA (wife Elizabeth)
and many nieces and nephews. Instead of flowers a memorial gift to a
charity of the donor’s choice could be a fitting tribute. Respecting
Covid protocols there will no viewing and private services will be
conducted on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at 10:00 AM by Rev. Shannon
Blosser at Henson and Kitchen Mortuary in Barboursville. Burial will be
in her parents’ plot at Rosewood Cemetery in Lewisburg.
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