Obituary for Dorothy Ritchie

Dorothy Lee Ritchie

April 24, 1929 – October 12, 2021

Memorial services for Dorothy Lee Ritchie, 92, of Guthrie, Oklahoma are pending at this time with Smith-Gallo Funeral Home, 220 North 1st St., Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044. She was born April 24, 1929 to Forrest and Leila (Ferguson) Pickard in Guymon, Oklahoma. She passed away Tuesday, October 12, 2021 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The family lived on farms during the dust bowl days. Living was hard but life was good because they had each other. The family were members of the Foursquare Church and attended regularly. Dorothy met Paul Ritchie in 1948 while attending Panhandle A M College. They married on May 18, 1950. They continued their education and graduated in 1955. They both became teachers and Paul retired early but Dorothy continued to teach. They taught in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Dorothy dearly loved the children. They were her life. Her final years were in Guthrie Pre-K where she gladly helped the teachers and loved to be in school with them. Her calling from God was training children to follow correct ways. She taught from 1955 – 2021. Sixty-six years of teaching and training were her life.

Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband, Paul; parents, Forrest and Leila Pickard; sisters, Alice Pickard, Jean Zabel, and Lois Demetro; and her nephew, Donny Demetro.

She is survived by her sister, Pat Boston of Guthrie; brother-in-law, Phil Demetro of Desoto, Texas; nieces Judy Hayden of Guymon and Nancy Etling of Edgewood, Texas; and nephews, Randy Demetro of DeSoto, Texas, Ronny Demetro of Fort Worth, Texas, Bobby Boston of Guthrie, and Jerry Boston of Edmond, Oklahoma.

Friends may sign the online guestbook at www.smithgallo.com.

Source: Trout Funeral Home