Evan Ritchie

Ritchie, Evan Davis "Dave", 90, passed away Thursday, October 27, 2016. Dave was born April 14, 1926, in Wichita, Kansas, to Hale and Edith Ritchie. He was the youngest of five siblings. He attended Wichita East High School where he was on the varsity basketball and swim teams. Graduating at the height of World War II in 1944, Dave served in the U.S. Air Corps for two years before attending the University of Kansas. At KU he continued his athletic pursuits as a member of the varsity swim team. He was also the president of his fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta. He graduated with an Industrial Management degree in 1950. It was during his time at KU that he met his wife, Marilyn Thompson Ritchie. The two were married one week after Dave's graduation and remained deeply committed to each other for 66 years. Dave and his brothers, Proctor and Dean, operated the Ritchie Corporation in Wichita for several decades. The asphalt and concrete paving company was involved in some of Wichita's largest construction projects. The hallmark of doing business with the Ritchie brothers was that a simple handshake was all that was needed. They honored every deal they made and always considered whether the deal would be fair and beneficial to all involved. Any disagreements among the brothers were settled around a backgammon table. After years in paving, Dave took those same business principles to his work with Ritchie Development, a real estate and building company. Dave was instrumental in the development of many projects in Wichita including Twin Lakes, Country Place Estates, and Tallgrass. He retired in 1991. Away from work, Dave enjoyed flying and was a private pilot. He was an avid golfer who, later in life, often shot his age. Dave also enjoyed racquet sports, including squash and tennis. It was his interest in improving tennis in Wichita that led him to found the Wichita Racquet Club, Wichita's first indoor tennis facility (now the Genesis Rock Road location). Dave will be remembered for his kindness and the sense of fairness and integrity that permeated his professional and personal life. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hale and Edith Ritchie; sisters, Sally Cardwell and June Greever; and brothers, Proctor and H. Dean Ritchie. He is survived by his wife, Marilyn; children, Proctor Ritchie, Julie Gladden, Jan Dorian, and Jack (Lou Ann) Ritchie; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held at the University Congregational Church, 9209 East 29th St. N, Wichita, Kansas, 67226, at 2 p.m. on Friday, November 11, 2016. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Historic Ritchie House c/o Shawnee County Historical Society, PO Box 2201, 1118 SE Madison, Topeka, KS 66601. Share online condolences at www.CozineMemorial.com. Services by Broadway Mortuary.

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