Frank L Ritter

Frank, the youngest of eight children, was born on October 12, 1942 to Charlie and Axie Ritter in Cranks Creek, Harlan County, Kentucky. In 1959, after the death of his father Charlie, his mother Axie moved herself and Frank to Nashville, TN. Frank attended Central Highschool and graduated in 1960.

After graduation, Frank enrolled at Peabody College. He briefly worked for the Tennessee State Labor Council as an errand boy. In 1960 while still at Peabody College, Frank went to work for the Nashville Tennessean as a copyboy. This would be the beginning of a career that would span 40 years. In early 1962 Frank was promoted to reporter and covered the city hall beat during the mid-1960’s. Frank graduated from David Lipscomb college with a Bachelor of Arts degree. In 1966 a film was made called “Do You Hear What I Said?” following Frank on his first big story, an in-depth study of the problem of high school dropouts. 1969, Frank was again promoted, this time to City Editor. In 1971 Frank co-authored “A Search For Justice” with fellow Nashville Tennessean staffers John Seigenthaler, John Hemphill and Jim Squires. The book was based on the coverage of the trials of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy’s assassins. Frank then took the role of Deputy Managing Editor of the newspaper in 1979. During this time, he also occasionally wrote and edited the Nashville Eye column. He served in this role until 1987, then stepped down to concentrate on his role as the newspaper’s first Reader Advocate. He dedicated ten years to calling out his coworkers in defense of The Tennessean readers. In 1996 he switched roles yet again, this time to writing possibly his favorite weekly article ever, Politically Incorrect. In his own words, by retirement, Frank had spent more time at the Tennessean “than anywhere else on this earth.” After his retirement in 2001, Ritter free-lanced, writing for the Tennessee Catholic Register and the Harlan Daily Enterprise.

Frank was a lover of the written word. Frank was passionate about poetry, particularly that of Scottish poet Robert Burns. Those that knew Frank listened to him recite Burns’ words often. Frank was a living room dancer, a studier of classical music, an amateur boxer, Scrabble marathoner, and nature lover. He did his best writing from his front porch surrounded by birds and bugs. Oak Hill’s Radnor Lake was a particular love of his. Frank was one of many that fought for the lake to become one of Tennessee’s first natural areas in the 1970’s when developers were ready to sell off the 133 acres for private development. Frank spent time as a member of Leadership Nashville in the 1980’s. Frank served with the Tennessee National Guard from 1964 – 1970.

Frank is survived by his wife, Virginia (Trimble) of Adairville, KY. He is also survived by his three children and one stepson, Richard Lee Ritter, Andrea (John) Roth, Michael Allen Ritter, Charles (Chuck) Trimble and grandchildren, Ruby Anna Ritter, Axie Valentine Ritter, John Austin Roth, III, Sylvia Elizabeth Roth and Anna Burns Roth. He is survived by his sister Mrs. Charlene Camfield of Louisville, Ky and numerous nieces and nephews.

Frank was predeceased in death by his parents, Charlie and Axie Ritter, brothers Denver Davis and Tommy Ritter, sisters Evelyne O’Ryan, Joey Ellis, Gene Hamlin and Daisy Daniels.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Radnor Lake Natural Area in memory of Frank Ritter. Follow the link to: https://radnorlake.org/get-involved/donate/

Memorial services will be announced at a later date.