Elsie Ritchey

Elsie Ritchey, age 80, of Lamar, Missouri, passed away Tuesday July 31, 2018 at her home following a long illness. Elsie was born September 29, 1937 in Greenfield, Missouri, the daughter of the late Jim and Lela (Cowan) Stump. She was a 1955 graduate of Golden City High School and has been a lifelong area resident. Elsie married Charles Ritchey on March 14, 1958 in Jasper County, Missouri and he survives. She and Charles together, raised five children. She was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. A member of the First Baptist Church of Lamar, she was a homemaker and bookkeeper for Ritchey Refrigeration, the family business. Elsie was an avid collector of cook books and loved cooking, gardening, mowing her lawn, and bluegrass music. She and Charles loved to travel together and have visited all fifty states, often attending bluegrass festivals all over the country. Elsie was preceded in death by her parents, infant daughter Joyce Ritchey, infant grandson Jacob Ritchey and brother-in-law, Charles Fite. In addition to her husband Charles, she is survived by three sons, Charles (Becky) Ritchey of Lamar, Randy (Diane) Ritchey of Dallas, TX and Stuart (Rachelle) Ritchey of San Antonio, TX; two daughters, Pam Ritchey, Raymore, MO, and Nancy Ritchey of Springfield, MO; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; three brothers, Glen (Connie) Stump, Bellamy, MO, Jerry (Wanda) Stump, Springfield, MO and Jo Stump, Bellamy, MO; five sisters, Edna (Charles) Fite, Jasper, MO Opal (Gene) Harris, Golden City, MO, Lois (Anthony) Watson, Neck City, MO, Mary (Steve) Brake, Billings, MO, and Jane Boehne, Wichita, KS. Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday at Daniel Funeral Home, Lamar. Burial will be in Morehead Cemetery, Lamar. Visitation will be 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday at Daniel Funeral Home. Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society in care of Daniel Funeral Home.