Wendell Wade Ritchey

Wendell W. Ritchey, 80, of Maricopa, AZ went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, August 30, 2020. He was a devoted husband, wonderful father, loving grandfather, and great grandfather. He is preceded in death by his parents Victor W. Ritchey and Nannie (George) Ritchey-Stiles. He is survived by the love of his life, Sherry; his daughters Robyn (Eric) Crawford, and Stacie (Matt) Witten; grandchildren Jacob (Anna) and Leisha Crawford and great-grandchildren Keirsten, J. Daniel, Ezekiel, and Samuel Crawford. Wendell was born in Johnstown, PA, raised in Homer City, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Laura Lamar High School. He proudly served his country by enlisting in the US Navy. It's there where he learned he had an aptitude for engineering which led him to Tri-State University (Trine) in Angola, Indiana. While in Indiana he earned his BS in Engineering and, most importantly, met Sherry who would become his beloved wife for the last 57 years. His career took them to many locations starting in Cuba, NY, and ending in Maricopa, AZ with stops along the way in Nazareth, PA, Mansfield, OH, Tucson, AZ, El Paso, TX, Camarillo, CA, and Holly Springs, NC. Throughout...[more]

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s life, Wendell made many close friends and always found time to teach and serve in the many churches they attended with his family. While retired in Maricopa, AZ, he attended Calvary Chapel where he led and hosted many Bible Studies. He enjoyed spending his time preparing and teaching each lesson. He devoted his life to God and loved to teach people about the saving power of Jesus Christ. He loved God, his family, and his friends. He was especially excited to cheer on his grandchildren as they played sports whether in person or from afar. He was the parent and grandparent that all members of his family could count on for support, encouragement, and instruction. Always the engineer, he will be remembered for his strict attention to detail in all things. A public burial service will be held on September 12, 2020 at 11:00 A.M. at Greenwood Cemetery, Indiana, PA. Face masks will be available and social distancing will be observed. A Celebration of Life Ceremony will take place at a later date in Maricopa, AZ. Face masks will be available and social distancing will be observed