Mary Ritter

Mary Virginia Caroland Ritter died July 22, 2023. She was born January 7, 1926 in Indianapolis, IN and grew up in Clarksville, TN. She was a Latin scholar and attended Austin Peay and the University of Tennessee.

She was predeceased by her parents Enoch Arden and Jennie Bourne Caroland, brother William Bourne Caroland, and her husband Philip Maurice Ritter, a Methodist minister of 54 years.  She is survived by her daughter Mary Arden Ritter McElroy (Charles) of Nashville; granddaughters Amanda Caroland McElroy Middendorf (David) of Alpharetta, and Amy Catherine McElroy Hickman (Nash) of Washington DC; and great granddaughters Mary Grace and Leah Catherine Middendorf.

She felt grateful for wonderful friends made through the years and various church appointments, including St. Bethlehem near Clarksville, Brentwood UMC, Lawrenceburg, Cookeville, Murfreesboro, City Road, Columbia, Tullahoma, and back home in Clarksville at Madison Street UMC.  She was deeply involved in the churches, and she also taught kindergarten (Murfreesboro), and later, enjoyed working at the Upper Room.

She loved entertaining. She was a gourmet at heart and a very good cook! She was very lucky to have traveled frequently with family and friends and loved sharing stories of her many life experiences.

A Celebration of Life will be held at St. Paul’s Senior Living, 5031 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN at 11AM on Saturday July 29, 2023.

In lieu of flowers, you may make a donation to the United Methodist Committee on Relief via https://umcmission.org/give-to-umcor/ or Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church/458 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE, Atlanta, GA 30308-1836.