A. Scott Ritchie

A. Scott Ritchie, 89, loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend, died December 12, 2021. A visitation with family will be held from 4:00-6:00 pm, Wednesday, December 15th, at the Cozine Life Events Center, 11500 E. 21st St. N. A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm, Thursday, December 16th, at Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1958 N. Webb Rd.

Scott was born in Wichita, Kansas on November 14, 1932 to Andrew and Ruth Ritchie. He graduated from Wichita East High School in 1950. He attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Geology in 1954. He married Carol L. Swanson on June 19, 1954 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served from 1954-1957, attaining the rank of Captain.

Scott had a number of business interests including Chairman of Ritchie Exploration, Inc., Chairman of the Board of Hallrich, Inc. – a Pizza Hut franchise in NE Ohio and West Virginia, Owner and Chairman of Lubbock Feeders, LP – a custom cattle feedlot in Lubbock, TX, and Owner and President of Highland Ranch Company in Olpe, KS.

He was very involved in the community as a member of the Wichita Chamber of Commerce, Wichita Art Museum board member, Wichita Community Foundation, Wichita-KU School of Medicine board member, Tallgrass Ranchers founding member, and Phi Delta Theta Educational Foundation, where he was a trustee and chairman of the finance committee.

Scott served as a past president of the Kansas Independent Oil and Gas Association (KIOGA), past president of the Kansas Geological Society, past national chairman of the Society of Independent Professional Earth Scientist (SIPES), a member of the KU Geological Associates Advisory Board and he was an Emeritus Trustee of the KU Endowment Board. He served on the steering committee of KU First, and was a member and past board chairman of IPHFHA.

Scott received the Erasmus Haworth Distinguished Alumni Honors in Geology in 1992 and the Fred Ellsworth Medallion in 2005, both distinguished University of Kansas awards. His hobbies included bird and deer hunting, fishing, and traveling.

Scott was preceded in death by his parents, A.S. and Ruth Ritchie and brother, William Ritchie. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Carol Swanson Ritchie; sons, Scott (Lisa) Ritchie and Tom (Tammy) Ritchie; daughter, Ann (Ray) Logan; grandchildren, Andy (Lana) Ritchie, Joey (Mary Ann) Ritchie and Maddie Ritchie, Kirsten (Joel) English, Garrett, Brayden and Devin Ritchie, Carley and Kate Nelson, and Dallas Logan; and great-grandchildren, Drew and Emmy Ritchie, Steven Ritchie, and Skylar and Sunny English.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to either the Phi Delta Theta Foundation, 2 South Campus Avenue, Oxford, OH 45056-1801. (Please include “A. Scott Ritchie” on the memo line) or the Ritchie Hydrogeology Fund at the University of Kansas. Please make checks payable to “Ritchie Hydrogeology Fund” and address them to: KU Endowment, ATTN: Memorial Gift Processing/A. Scott Ritchie, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044.