DAVID J. RITCHIE SR.

David J. Ritchie Sr, age 77, of Naperville, passed away peacefully Monday evening, March 7, 2022.

He was born in Wichita, KS, on November 20, 1944, to loving parents, Robert and Mary Ritchie.

David grew up in Colorado Springs, CO, and attended local schools. Following graduation from high school, David furthered his education at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and Carnegie Technical College in Pittsburg, PA, where he received his doctorate. He began working at Fermilab in Batavia in the summer of 1971.

Ginny McLaughlin, stage manager and actress for a local acting troupe, Playmakers, tried to recruit David while he worked at Fermilab. Following a whirlwind first “date”, David won her heart and her hand soon after. Ginny and David were united in marriage on April 12, 1980 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in St. Charles, IL.

They began their new life on Rt. 25 near the Fox River in St. Charles but found a more permanent home two blocks from what is now the Town and Country Book Store. In 1985, they moved to Naperville. A great sadness swept through the family as they grieved Ginny’s passing in 2012, but David continued to celebrate the memories they had, at the same time he and the family began making new ones to cherish.

David’s working career was born in the early days of Fermilab in 1971, when Wilson Hall was a work in progress and Monarch butterflies carpeted the many picturesque acres. Early excitement at the time surrounded an indication of the first circulating beam in the main accelerator ring. He spent much of his laboratory career writing and debugging programs which changed and evolved as the technology grew in leaps and bounds. Though he loved the work, David also made it his mission to “interface” with staff, visitors, and students. He was a mentor to many, several of which went on to lasting and noteworthy careers. Before his retirement in 2011, he headed the Communications and Outreach Group and organized Fermilab’s participation in the annual Supercomputing Conference.  

David was always very enthusiastic about education and loved teaching introductory classes to middle school students. Saturday mornings and Thursday afternoons found him feeding the minds of the next generation as they learned the Pearl and Python programming languages. His cats had a special place in his heart, especially Quantum. David helped his community as a booster, supporting several schools. His sons were the light of his life and spent quality time teaching them how to garden so they could know where food came from, built and blasted model rockets as high as their imagination could take them, and took the family to Fermilab conferences in Colorado, which always brought forth a myriad of new memories. He loved to eat and “specialized” in desserts or anything sweet. Astronomy piqued his interest, gazing into the universe and trying to unravel its secrets using his telescope. Neighbors quickly became friends, no matter their walk in life, and his steadfast morality was like a trusty compass: always showing true north. Theater spoke to his heart and he indulged by his time in support of Playmakers, as well as his favorite works by Shakespeare. David had an ear for music and enjoyed classical music concerts in addition to taking in many symphonies over the years. His lifelong fascination with computers and “big science”, served as a catalyst which ignited the ambition of many sponsored summer students who came to treasure him as their mentor.  

He is survived by his two sons, David “Jamie” Ritchie and Rob (Kristin) Ritchie; one half-brother, George Ritchie; several nieces, nephews, cousins and a community of friends who will remember him well and miss him deeply.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert and Mary Ritchie, his wife Ginny, and a brother Robert Ritchie.

Visitation will be Wednesday, March 16, 2022, from 12-1:30 p.m., at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn. A remembrance service where family and friends will share their favorite memories will follow the visitation at the funeral home. Private burial will occur at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in David’s name to benefit local charities. Checks may be made to the “David J. Ritchie Memorial” and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address, the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or at www.conleycare.com.