Alice Ritter

Alice Louise “Alouise” Witbeck Ritter stepped from this life and claimed her eternal inheritance on Saturday, September 21, 2013. She was born in Poughkeepsie, NY, on March 26, 1935 to George and Alice Witbeck. She moved to Alexandria, VA, in 1942 for her father to work for Sperry Rand on the early computers. She graduated from Lynchburg College with a Bachelor in Religious Education degree and VCU with a Masters in Elementary Education. She married Rev. James N. Ritter in 1957. She ministered beside her husband at 22 United Methodist Churches across Virginia for 42 years using her gifts of music and teaching. She taught second through fifth grades in the Virginia Public School System for 25 years and was named 1993 York County Teacher of the year. Some of her special teaching methods included using sign language with her students and setting up her classroom like a ship. Alouise self-published “Kelly’s Butterfly” for one of her third grade classes and “The Parsonage Handbook” to share the joys and trials of living in a parsonage. Many received encouragement through her short stories. Jim and Alouise retired to her parent’s retirement home in Piankatank Shores in 2000. She was an active member of Lower United Methodist Church where she loved singing in the choir, leading the men’s choir, playing the hand bells, working with the disaster response team and UMW and many other activities. Jim and Alouise raised four children – Mark, Paul, Ken, and Kathy. Mark Nelson Ritter, of South Bend, Indiana, has one son, Andy. He and his wife, Heather, are raising Alouise’s great grandchildren Emma, Ian, Alana, and Andy Jr. Their second son, Rev. Paul James Ritter lives with his wife Rev. Valerie in Harrisonburg. Paul is Chaplain at Augusta Correctional Center and Valerie serves Mountain Valley UMC. Their son Samuel is working on his PhD in computational neuroscience at Princeton University. Their third son, Kenneth Lee Ritter, of Winchester, is an actor and has his own voice over production company. Their daughter, Katherine Louise, lives in Stephen City with her husband Bobby Foster. She serves as Activity Director at Lynn Care Nursing Home in Front Royal. Their children are Michael, Joshua, and Rusty. Michael is currently working at an envelope factory as he earns his degree in fish and wildlife management. Joshua is working at a plastic manufacturing plant called Toray. Rusty works at various volunteer jobs such as the food bank, nursing homes, and Blue Ridge Hospice. He is an athlete with Special Olympics. Alouise is survived by her Aunt Anna Mae Swenson who lives in Rhinebeck, NY. Anna Mae is 105 years old and is still very active. Alouise’s brother, George Witbeck, lives with his wife Gaye and family in Canyon Lake, TX. George has four children and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. George worked in the space industry at Johnson Space Center in Houston. Alouise’s cousin, Frances Marchbank, lives in Key West, FL. The light has not been extinguished for Alouise. Jesus gently turned the light off here because she was experiencing the new dawn of heaven. A service of death and resurrection will be held Saturday, September 28 at 11 am at Lower United Methodist Church in Hartfield, VA. Gifts in Alouise’s memory may be given to the Lower United Methodist Church Scholarship Fund. Lower UMC is located at 120 Lower Church Road, PO Box 98, Hartfield, VA 23071.