Dr. C. John Ritter

Dr. C. John Ritter, age 65, passed away on Thursday, July 4, 2002, at St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, Mo.

Friends may call Sunday, July 7, between 3-8 p.m. at the McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau and Monday after 12:30 p.m. at Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau.

A service celebrating Dr. Ritter's life will be held Monday at 2 p.m. at the church. Burial will be in Hobbs Chapel Cemetery in Cape Girardeau with graveside military honors. Bishop Ann B. Sherer, Resident Bishop of the Missouri Area United Methodist Church, will officiate. The assisting ministers will be the Rev. Brent Mustoe of the United Methodist Church, Southeast Missouri District; the Rev. Oscar Lukefahr of the Catholic Church; and the Rev. James V. Hogue of Hobbs Chapel United Methodist Church.

Pallbearers will be Shane Hackett, Stephen Southard, Daniel Southard, Brad Hampton, Tod Hampton, Tim Hampton and Robert Loyd. Honorary pallbearers will be Rick Clardy, Austin Clardy and Christian Hackett.

Dr. Ritter was born on June 5, 1937, at Cape Girardeau, the son of the late Clarence J. "Brick" and Mabel L. Kurre Ritter. He and Donna Burkett were married on April 21, 1962. She passed away on Oct. 30, 1985. He and Marcia Kay Southard were married on Dec. 20, 1986.

Loving survivors include his wife, Marcia, of Cape Girardeau; two daughters and sons-in-law, Robin and Shane Hackett of Kansas City, Mo., and Emilie and Rick Clardy of Jackson; three sons and two daughters-in-law, Stephen Ray and Julie Southard, John Benjamin Ritter, and Daniel Ray and Sara Southard, all of Cape Girardeau; a sister and brother-in-law, Mary Sue and Steve Niemann of Jackson; and five grandchildren, Autumn, Hailey and Austin Clardy, and Christian and Lexi Hackett.

Dr. Ritter was a 1955 graduate of Jackson High School, a 1959 graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, and a 1963 graduate of the University of Missouri Medical School in Columbia, Mo. He served his internship at the University of Iowa and his residency in internal medicine at the University of Missouri. From 1967 to 1969, he served as a captain in the U.S. Army while stationed at Yokohama, Japan, and was honorably discharged as a major with a Distinguished Service Award.

After his Army service, Dr. Ritter immediately returned to Cape Girardeau where he began his private practice with the Internal Medicine Group and practiced 29 years. During his practice, Dr. Ritter was a member of the active staff of both the St. Francis Medical Center and the Southeast Missouri Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

In addition to working as an active member of the medical staff at St. Francis Medical Center, he served four consecutive terms as chief of medicine, secretary of medical staff, vice president of medical staff and president of medical staff from 1977 to 1984, respectively. From 1985 to 1996, he served as medical director of the Center for Recovery. In 1987, he became an honorary member of the board of directors. From 1993 to 1998, he served as medical director of the skilled nursing facility, and from 1997 to 1998, he served as an executive consultant.

Other medical affiliations include the Cape Girardeau County Area Medical Society where he also served as treasurer, president, board member, honorary member, and was past editor of the Cape County Medical Journal. He also served as past counselor of the Missouri Society of Internal Medicine.

Additional organizations and associations include the Missouri State Medical Society, the Governor's Task Force on Arthritis, the American Medical Society, the American Society of Internal Medicine, the American College of Physicians, the University of Missouri Alumni Association where he also served as class representative, and the Southeast Missouri State University Copper Dome Society.

His charitable and civic affiliations include the Missouri Heart Association 10th District, past president and board member; CHART Organization, committee member; American Cancer Society, past board member; Lions Club, past member; Community Caring Council, past member; the Gibson Center for Recovery, board member; and the Cape Family Resource Center, board member.

He also served numerous terms on the Cape Girardeau Public School Board and two terms as its president. He was a past board member of the former First Federal Savings and Loan Association and the former Heritage Savings and Loan Association and past president of Doctors' Park Corporation.

Dr. Ritter and Marcia were members of Hobbs Chapel United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau. The Emmanuel United Church of Christ in Jackson was John's childhood church. He and Marcia were former members of the First Christian Church in Cape Girardeau. Dr. Ritter was a faithful member and leader in all of these churches.

After his retirement in 1998, his genuine dedication to healing and the betterment of human life led him and Marcia on numerous volunteer medical trips to Third World countries such as the West Indies, Mexico, Mozambique, Liberia and Honduras. Even over the course of the past months as his personal health failed, he continued his positive outlook in hopes of returning to his mission work.

The Ritter family sincerely appreciates the many prayers and generous support the community has offered during their mission trips and John's more recent health complications. It is their hope that Southeast Missouri remembers Dr. Ritter as a devoted, caring friend.

As the family continues to prayerfully and financially support Dr. Ritter's and Marcia's past mission work, they suggest in lieu of flowers the following charitable organizations for his memorials: Cape Area Resource Center or Ganta United Methodist Hospital in Liberia, West Africa. Please make checks payable to the organization of your choice. Contributions will be received at McCombs Funeral Home in Cape Girardeau or mailed to the family at Dr. C. John Ritter Memorials, 24 Schonhoff Lane, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63703.