He was born on March 1, 1948 in Poplarville, Miss., to Robert R. and Patricia Ledford Ritchie. Pat was raised all around the world. He earned a bachelor degree in business and law. He entered the United States Army in May of 1965, seeing action in Vietnam. Pat served until his retirement in 2008 as a director at the Umatilla Army Chemical Depot with 38 years of service. Pat married Perlita Solomon on July 16, 1992 in the Philippines. He enjoyed visiting with people, traveling, scuba diving, new adventures- he would “try anything twice” and was an avid reader who “liked to fish with no hook and a good book.”
He is survived by his wife: Perlita Ritchie, Hermiston, OR; sons: Patrick H. Ritchie, Missoula, MT, and Robert R. Ritchie & wife Dakota, Fairchild, WA; daughter: Samantha S. Ritchie, Hermiston, OR; sister: Cynthia J. Melon, Fayetteville, AR; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Pat was preceded in death by his parents, a brother: Gary R. Ritchie, and a sister: Sandra M. Freebern.
A celebration of life service with military honors will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2016 at 1 p.m. at the Hermiston Cemetery, Hermiston, Oregon.
Please sign the online guest book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
