Obituaries for October 23, 1999

Martha B. Baldwin

OXFORD, Pa. -- Martha B. Palmer Baldwin, 94, of 7 Locust St., Oxford, formerly of Cochranville, Pa., and Delaware County, Pa., died Thursday, Oct. 21, 1999, at Ware Presbyterian Village, Oxford.
She was born in Lurgan, Pa., the daughter of the late Christian H. and Carrie Reese Bert.
Twice married, her first husband, T. Earle Palmer, preceded her in death in 1954; and her second husband, J. Hanover Baldwin, also preceded her in death in 1993.
Surviving are two daughters, Jane P. Cannoy, Oxford, and Elizabeth (Betsy) P. Bowling, Bridgeport; one stepdaughter, June Fitzherbert, Vancouver, Wash.; three stepsons, James H. Baldwin, Columbus, Ohio, A. Wayne Baldwin, Lander, Wyo., and R. Lowell Baldwin, Turlock, Calif.; one brother, Paul C. Bert, Modesto, Calif.; 23 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
She was also preceded in death by one daughter, Linda P. Skibicki.
Mrs. Baldwin taught elementary school for 341/2 years, retiring in 1970, and she also taught in Cochranville, Oxford and Octorara school districts, as well as others.
She was past secretary and treasurer of the Lower Oxford Township.
Mrs. Baldwin was past member and treasurer of the Research Club, Oxford, past chaplain and secretary of the Fernwood Grange, Daleville, Pa., a member of the Russellville Grange, Russellville, past president of the Parent Teachers Association in the 1950s of the elementary school in Delaware County, and a member and past member of the Board of Deacons of the Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church, Cochranville.
She was the Grange National Grand Crocheting Champion for crocheting a bedspread in 1988.
Mrs. Baldwin enjoyed travel, gardening, bridge and crocheting.
She was a 1923 graduate of the Shippensburg State Normal School.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Faggs Manor Presbyterian Church Building Fund, 505 Street Rd., Cochranville, PA 19330.
Edward L. Collins Funeral Home Inc., Oxford, is in charge of the arrangements.

Linda Rice

MARTINSBURG -- Linda Watkins Rice, 66, of Martinsburg, died Thursday, Oct. 21, 1999, at her residence.
She was born Jan. 19, 1933, in Fairmont, a daughter of the late Harry E. and Margaret Lehman Watkins.
Her husband, Lacy I. Rice Jr., survives.
Surviving are two sons and daughter-in-law, Lacy I. Rice III, Bethesda, Md., and William Thorn and Karen M. Rice, Charleston; one daughter and son-in-law, Anne W. and Theodore M. Pierce, Walnut Creek, Calif.; two grandchildren, Oliver Watkins Pierce and Martin Field Pierce; and one sister, Sarah W. Point, Grossbottwar, Germany.
Mrs. Rice was a former "First Lady" of Martinsburg, director of Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, former director and founder of the Boarman Arts Center, founding director of Contemporary American Theatre Festival, first female Senior Warden of Trinity Episcopal Church, and a former school teacher at Carlynn Springs Elementary School, Arlington, Va.
She was a member of the Advisory Board of Shepherd College and a long time member of the Olde Berkeley Garden Club, having received many awards.
Mrs. Rice was involved in numerous charitable, religious and social activities and organizations.
She was a graduate of Stephens College and Duke University.
Mrs. Rice had been a resident of Martinsburg for 42 years.
The family suggests contributions be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, Boarman Arts Center and the Contemporary American Theatre Festival.
Brown Funeral Home, Martinsburg, is in charge of the arrangements.

Noel L. Ritchie

Noel Lee Ritchie, 67, of 1420 Pearlman Ave., Clarksburg, died at 4 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, 1999, at Heartland of Clarksburg Nursing Home, Clarksburg, following an extended illness.
He was born Aug. 22, 1932, in Clarksburg, a son of the late Rufus K. and Eula Mae Johnson Ritchie.
His wife, Marjorie Frame Ritchie, whom he married on Nov. 7, 1975, survives.
Also surviving are three daughters, Judith Fleischer, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., Cathy Ritchie, Morgantown, and Sharon K. Haynes, Clarksburg; one son, Steven Ritchie, Tampa, Fla.; one stepson, Allen B. Hudkins, Clarksburg; one sister, Lois Orrahood, Spring Valley, Calif.; one brother, Jim Ritchie, Perrysburg, Ohio; and 10 grandchildren.
Mr. Ritchie attended the Clarksburg Baptist Church.
He retired in 1975 as a lieutenant of the Clarksburg Fire Department.
He also retired from the West Virginia National Guard as master sergeant first class E-7 of the Clarksburg Unit.
Mr. Ritchie owned and operated his own business, Discount Specialty Company.
He was a member of the Loyal Order of Moose Post No. 52, Clarksburg, and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks Post No. 482, Clarksburg.
A funeral service will be held at noon today at Davis-Weaver Funeral Home, 320 East Main St., Clarksburg, with Pastor Kurt Busiek presiding. Interment will follow in the Floral Hills Memorial Gardens Cemetery.