FOURTH GENERATION

115. Vernon Russell Ritchie was born on Aug 8 1917 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He died on Sep 5 1996 in Grand Island, Nebraska.⁽¹²⁷⁾ His obituary which appeared in the Grand Island Daily Independent reads as follows, "Vernon R. Ritchie, 79, of 203-1/2 E. Division died Thursday, Sept. 5, 1996, at St. Francis Skilled Care. - Mr. Ritchie will be cremated. A memorial service will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Kleine Funeral Home. The Rev. Alan W. Davis will officiate. Private burial of the remains will be at a later date in Westlawn Memorial Park Cemetery. - The family will be receiving friends from 9 a.m. to service time Saturday at the funeral home. - Memorials are suggested to St. Francis Hospice. - Mr. Ritchie was born on Aug. 8, 1917, at Tulsa, Okla., to Earl and Mazie (Adams) Ritchie. He grew up and was educated in Marietta, Ohio, and graduated from high school there. - He married Roxie Johnston on Feb. 7, 1942, at Wichita, Kan. They lived in Alton, Kan. - He entered the U.S. Army in August 1942 and served in World War II until his discharge in March 1944. They continued to live in Alton until 1961, when they moved to Loup City. He worked there as a diesel mechanic with Dorsey/Ericson and later as a self-employed diesel mechanic. - He was a member of American Legion Post 53. - Survivors include his wife: four Sons, Larry of Woodstock, Ga., Steve of Crete, Stan of League City, Texas, and Tom of Bellevue; eight daughters, Eldoris (Mrs. Bill) Ross of Frazeysburg, Ohio, Lynn (Mrs. Roger) Moore of Alvarado, Texas, Marilyn (Mrs. Frank Quinn of Corning, N.Y., Billie (Mrs. Larry) Klimek arid Sally (Mrs. Brent) Rapien, both of Grand Island, Debbie Ritchie of O'Neill, Peggy (Mrs. Ron) Mroczek of Alma and Beverly (Mrs. Lannv) Robinson of Cairo; 40 grandchildren; six great -grandchildren; and two brothers, Earl of Marietta, Ohio, and Kenneth of Beaver, Pa. - He was preceded in death by one son, Herman; and two sisters, Sylvia and Mae." He was buried on Sep 7 1996 in Westlawn Memorial Cemetery, Grand Island, Nebraska. ⁽¹²⁸⁾

He was married to Catherine "Kate" Clara House (daughter of Harry Raymond House and Hilda Marie Stober) on Oct 19 1935 in Pleasants Co., West Virginia. ⁽¹²⁹⁾ They probably eloped. He was divorced from Catherine "Kate" Clara House before 1942 in Alton, Kansas. Vernon Russell Ritchie and Catherine "Kate" Clara House had the following children:

+212 i. Larry Eugene Ritchie.
213 ii. Herman Lee Ritchie (Private).
+214 iii. Eldoris "Ellie" Ann Ritchie.

He was married to Roxie Lou Johnston (daughter of James Orbrey Johnston and Elsie Mabel Peterson) on Feb 7 1942 in Wichita, Kansas.⁽¹²⁷⁾ Vernon Russell Ritchie and Roxie Lou Johnston had the following children:

+215 i. Lynn Sue Ritchie.
+216 ii. Stephen Vernon Ritchie.
+217 iii. Marilyn Kay Ritchie.
+218 iv. Billie Gail Ritchie.
+219 v. Stanley "Stan" Jarel Ritchie.
+220 vi. Thomas Allen Ritchie.
+221 vii. Deborah "Debbie" Lea Ritchie.
+222 viii. Peggy Lou Ritchie.
+223 ix. Beverly Jo Ritchie.
+224 x. Sally Jean Ritchie.

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