William "Bill" Ritchie

Bill is survived by his wife of 42 years, Judith Jo Slyter, and his daughters Julie Tidwell (John), Bette Bradford (Nat), Misty Renfro and Ashley Ritchie, his brother, Steve Ritchie, his brother, Thom Ritchie, and his 14 grandchildren. He is predeceased by his father, Robert (Bob) Ritchie and his mother, Martha Ritchie.

Bill was born on March 7, 1944 in Aberdeen, South Dakota. He lived his formative years in Richfield, MN, where he graduated from Benilde High School with honors and was an All-State Letterman in several sports. Upon graduation, he attended the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, where he was a member of the football and soccer teams. He graduated in 1966, upon which he was commissioned and worked as a ship’s engineer for 4 years. Bill was a Professional Engineer (Mechanical) who worked for the Panama Canal Commission for over 20 years, where he served many roles, including the Superintendent of Tugboats and Chief of Motor Transportation Division. He retired from the P.C.C. in 1994. He retired as Captain after 20 years of service in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He also served as President of the Navy League in Panama. Upon retirement from the Panama Canal Commission, Bill was contracted in 1995 to oversee the overhaul of the USS Kearsarge for the U.S. Navy.

Bill was an outstanding athlete, having turned down a contract with the New York Mets in his earlier years to honor his contract with the U.S. Navy. He enjoyed baseball and golf and would sing and play in quartets and bands. He served for several years as Elder at Horizon Church (P.C.A) in Greenville, SC and also enjoyed distributing bibles as a member of the Gideons. He enjoyed attending the Highland Games that celebrated his Scottish heritage that he was so proud of and reuniting yearly with his brothers, all adorned in their clan’s kilt.

Bill so loved Judy, the love of his life, and his family fiercely. He took pride in being “Papa” to all his grandchildren, sharing songs and wisdom, poetry and goofiness, love of sweets and athletics that all culminated in his Hershey Bar Olympics, that he spearheaded a time or two. His presence will be sorely missed but we know he is rejoicing in heaven with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

A funeral service for William will be held Friday, August 18, 2023 at 12:00 PM at Horizon Church, 1070 E. Butler Rd., Greenville, SC 29607 followed by burial at the MJ Dolly Cooper Veterans Cemetery in Anderson, SC.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mackeycenturydrive.com for the Ritchie family.