Jimmy Walton Ritchie

Jimmy Walton Ritchie, an imperfect Christian grateful for the grace of Jesus Christ, left this world on Wednesday, December 18, 2024.

Born in Brookhaven, MS to Walton Weathersby Ritchie and Bobbie Wooten Ritchie, who preceded him to Heaven, he graduated from Natchez High School and with the aid of much prayer and assistance from sympathetic professors, received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi. While at the university, he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity, whose qualifications for membership were fortunately not as high as they currently are. After graduating from Ole Miss, he served as a commissioned officer in the US Army artillery for two years, during which time he was blessed to marry the former Perry Thickens from Laurel, MS, to whom he remained wedded until his death.

He was employed by International Business Machines in data processing sales for fifteen years, after which he formed and ran his own consulting and software firm for twenty years until his retirement. During this time, he wrote two successful books, recorded audio tapes and a CD for national distribution and was a frequent speaker at storytelling festivals and other events.

He leaves the aforementioned beloved wife, Helen Perry T. Ritchie; two children, Dr. James V. Ritchie (Martha Hester) and Dr. Anne P. Young (Allen); foster son Richard Lindsey and twelve grandchildren, all of whom were the source of indescribable pleasure to him.

Memorial services will be held at the First Church of Canton in Canton, MS on Saturday, December 21, 2024. The body will be present in ashes form since his instructions were to take the usable parts for distribution to wherever they might be used and burn the rest up.

Visitation hours will be from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. with a service at 11:00 a.m. at the church.

Anyone whose sensibilities might be bruised by this obituary is urged to take it up with the deceased, who wrote it, when we have the occasion to meet on the other side.

He also subscribed to the philosophy described by the Shawnee Chief Tecumseh in the chief’s sage poem:

“When it comes your time to die,

be not like those whose hearts are filled with the fear of death,

so that when their time comes

they weep and pray for a little more time

to live their lives over again in a different way.

Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.”

 Bradford O’Keefe Funeral Home, O’Neal Road, Gulfport, is honored to serve the family of Jimmy Ritchie.