Gwendolyn Woodlief Ritchey

d. November 3, 2020

KITTRELL -Gwendolyn Duke Woodlief Ritchey, 90, of Kittrell, died November 3, 2020 at Maria Parham Health.Born Sept. 30, 1930 in Erwin,Mrs. Ritchey was the only child of Washington Duke Woodlief and Alice Surles Woodlief, both deceased.Her early childhood years were spent traveling the Eastern Seaboard with her parents and sometimes living with relatives in Dunn.She spent two years at the Annie Kate White School in Salemburg, and graduated from high school at Peace College in Raleigh.She also attended Duke University in Durham.Her employment included positions as bank teller, secretary, Director of Public Relations, and civil service.She was a former Red Cross hospital volunteer, and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Mensa, and Plank Chapel United Methodist Church where she held various positions and formerly sang in the choir.
In 1976 she married Dr. Vernon Scott Ritchey, USAF Col. (ret.) and they lived in Alamagordo, NM, Edwards AFB, CA, Milpitas, CA, Beavercreek, OH, Shalimar, FL, and Niceville, FL.They moved to the Bobbitt community of Kittrell in 2005 where they renovated Gwen’s ancestral Duke home built in 1854 and continued to live there until her death.
A private memorial service will be held at Plank Chapel United Methodist Church by Dr. Carolyn Roy.
Surviving are her husband Dr. Vernon Scott Ritchey, sons Terry W. Gwinn of Coco, FL and Thomas D. Gwinn of Watkinsville, GA, and daughter Alice G. Ferguson of Bakersfield, CA; daughter-in-law Sandra T. Gwinn, Watkinsville, GA; grandchildren Drisana G. Calhoun (Richard), Little Elm, TX, W. Duke Ferguson, Bakersfield, CA, Michael D. Gwinn and Thomas (Tommy) D. Gwinn, of Watkinsville, GA, and three great-grandchildren.She is also survived by a half-sister Marilynn W. Otis of Mountain City, TN and a sister-in-law, Diane Woodlief of Hudson, FL, and her numerous beloved cats.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Terry Wesley Gwinn, Jr. and her half-brother, W. Duke Woodlief.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the General Fund of Plank Chapel United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 507, Kittrell, NC or the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society, 165 US Hwy 158 Bypass, Henderson, NC 27537.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Gwendolyn Woodlief Ritchey, please visit our flower store.

Send a Card

Gwendolyn Woodlief Ritchey

d. November 3, 2020

Guestbook