Judith J. Ritter's Obituary
Judith J. Ritter, 88, passed away peacefully on January 23, 2026 at Oak Hammock in Gainesville, FL after battling Myelodysplastic syndrome for 9 years.
Judy was born in Virginia, Minnesota on July 10, 1937 to C. Edward and Joanna Johnson.
She graduated from Virginia High School in Virginia, Minnesota and the College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. She majored in Medical Record Library Science, currently called Health Information Management. She worked in a hospital in Minnesota one year before marrying her husband, John Ritter, on August 13, 1960. They were married 61 years until John passed away on January 1, 2022. They lived in Casper, WY then moved to San Diego, CA where she worked at the Naval Hospital while John pursued his Master’s Degree in Oceanography from the University of California at San Diego. After he graduated, they moved over the years and lived in Sacramento and Mountain View, CA; Mechanicsburg, PA ; Clifton Park, NY, and Gainesville, FL. She worked for Rehab Hospital when living in PA.
Judy was active in women’s organizations including P.E.O. (Chapter T in NY and Chapter AP in FL) and United Women of Faith. She also volunteered over the years with these organizations: Girl Scouts, Friends of the Library, ESL as a tutor, and CAPTAIN (a local NY charitable organization).
She loved nature, hikes, reading, playing bridge, birdwatching, and traveling in the US and internationally. She was always learning, even taking classes at Oak Hammock last summer.
She is survived by her two daughters Allison (Brett) Cunningham of Gainesville, FL and Amy Ritter of Leesburg, VA; two granddaughters Lauren Cunningham and Anna (CJ Williams) Cunningham; sister Kathryn DeLuca; brother Mark (Judy) Johnson; as well as many cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.
Her daughters would like to thank the nurses and staff especially Deanza, Maddie, and Bonnie in the Skilled Nursing Unit at Oak Hammock and Nurse Brittany and Pastor Loyal from Haven Hospice for their extraordinary care over the past two years.
A memorial service in Minnesota will be conducted at a later date.
Donations may be made to Trinity United Methodist Church-Missions at 4000 NW 53rd Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32653 or Haven Hospice at 4200 NW 90th Blvd, Gainesville, FL 32606.
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