Mary Helen (Eckstein) Ritchie

Born on August 7, 1945, in Cleveland, OH, she was the daughter of Dr. Richard and Helen Eckstein.

She graduated as the salutatorian from Orange High School in Ohio. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania and a master’s in social work from Smith College School for Social Work in Northampton, MA.

At Dickinson, Mary studied math and Latin and met her husband, John. They settled in Jamestown, NY, where they raised their three children. They later moved to Winchester, Virginia.

Mary worked for over three decades as a clinical social worker for the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene. She was beloved by her colleagues and clients, many of whom stayed in touch with her for years.

Her life in Jamestown was full of friends, book clubs, bridge groups, and rescue dogs. She attended Christ First United Methodist Church and sang in The Living Christmas Tree at First Covenant Church. She volunteered for countless organizations, including the Jamestown City Schools as a mentor, the Reg Lenna Civic Center as an usher (so she could see the movies for free!), and the Audubon Society. She was a regular participant in the Audubon Society’s Nature Pilgrimage at Allegany State Park.

Over the course of her life, Mary had many adventures. She testified in a homicide trial on a military base in Italy. She visited her son, Daniel, in Brazil, and she and her best friend, Jackie, traveled together to central Africa to visit her son, David, where they stayed with a regional tribe. Mary and her family hosted several exchange students from around the world, including Fritz from Sweden who lived with them for a year.

It was said of Mary that she never met a stranger; she found a way to talk to anyone, smiling and laughing. She especially loved finding out that a person had a connection to her home state of Ohio.

She is survived by her husband, John Ritchie; her three children, Daniel (Lisa) Ritchie, David (Meghan) Ritchie, and Melinda (Molly) Ritchie (Jason Coronel); and four grandchildren, Micah, Sawyer, Sabine, and Brynna. She is also survived by her brother, Robert (Bob) Eckstein (and his wife, Barbara), and nieces and nephews, Rich, Gary, Kristin, Candace, Rebecca, Timothy, and John.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard (Dick) Eckstein (and his wife, Lynn), her parents, and her aunt, Edna Ulmer. She had been a dedicated caretaker for her mother, father, and her aunt.

Memorial donations can be made to Compeer Chautauqua, 97 Forest Ave., Jamestown, NY 14701.