1929
George
2020
George Ritter
October 10, 1929 — September 27, 2020
George Gardner Ritter
George Gardner Ritter, beloved father, brother, Papaw, Great-Papaw and friend, died on September 27, 2020 at his home in Oak Ridge, TN. at age 90.
George was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on October 10,1929. He was appointed to West Point from the 18th Congressional District.
On graduation George went in the Armor Corps. His first assignment was with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment during 1951. He then went to Berlin and served with the 6th Infantry Regiment. In 1954 George resigned his commission and accepted a position in manufacturing management with Procter and Gamble where he worked until 1956.
From 1956 to 1974 he served with Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory as Procurement Manager, Program Manager, and Manufacturing Manager on a variety of Naval Nuclear Reactor fuel manufacturing programs. He worked on the Shippingport Project (the first commercial nuclear power reactor) and several submarine reactor core programs. In 1969 he had a key role in the manufacture and delivery of the advanced design replacement reactor cores for the Enterprise aircraft carrier.
From 1974 to 1983 George was at Westinghouse's Advanced Reactor Division, working on the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant Program. Assignments included management of the reactor refueling system and head area design, and program management of reactor and plant auxiliary systems design and fabrication.
From 1983 until 1987 he was Vice President and General Manager of the Maxima Corporation's Systems Technology and Support Group headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Maxima provided systems design, performance analysis, environmental engineering, facilities management, computer systems management, and information processing services.
From 1987 to 1993 George was President, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Performance Development Corporation, an engineering services company providing management consulting to a variety of Federal, commercial and government prime contractor customers.
George retired in 1993 but continued for several years to put in a few hours each week performing consulting work for Performance Development Corporation and East Tennessee Materials and Energy Corporation. He participated in Oak Ridge and Roane County civic activities and was a member of East Tennessee Economic Council Board of Directors. George worked on the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance for Seniors Program. He served as Secretary of Gene Research Access Corporation (GENRAC), a 501(c)(3) corporation assisting Oak Ridge National Laboratory Biology Division in establishing a public/private partnership. He was Membership Director of the Oak Ridge Amateur Radio Club as well as serving on the advisory board for the Anderson County Drug Court, programming their database. As part of his great love for the outdoors, George served as Treasurer and Director of Smoky Mountains Hiking Club for many years. He coordinated Appalachian Trail Maintainer Committee work activities and served as the Hiking Club representative to ATC's Southern Regional Partnership. More recently he managed the finances for ATC Cullowhee 2013, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's biennial conference.
George is survived by daughter Diane L. Petrilla M.D. (spouse Eric Keller), son George H. Ritter (wife Chris), and son John B. Ritter (wife Lee). He is survived by 7 grandchildren (Joe Petrilla and wife Tara, Ally Petrilla, Addy Petrilla, Nick Ritter, Clare Ritter, Jennifer Ritter and Shannon Ritter) as well as 3 great grandchildren (Sierra, Kaia and Leyna). He is also survived by his long-time companion Betty Glenn, as well as sister Suzanne Chandler (husband Richard) and nieces and nephews.
Our father lived his life with extraordinary determination, a wonderful sense of humor, and great integrity. He was a "force" to all who knew him. His legacy to his family is those qualities, as well as his enduring love of the outdoors and the joyfulness it brings to all our lives. He will be missed beyond measure.
Donations in his honor can be made to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, PO Box 51592, Knoxville, TN. 37950-1592 or to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, 799 Washington St., Harper's Ferry, WV 25425-0807.
Arrangements entrusted with Martin Oak Ridge Funeral Home.
George Gardner Ritter, beloved father, brother, Papaw, Great-Papaw and friend, died on September 27, 2020 at his home in Oak Ridge, TN. at age 90.
George was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on October 10,1929. He was appointed to West Point from the 18th Congressional District.
On graduation George went in the Armor Corps. His first assignment was with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment during 1951. He then went to Berlin and served with the 6th Infantry Regiment. In 1954 George resigned his commission and accepted a position in manufacturing management with Procter and Gamble where he worked until 1956.
From 1956 to 1974 he served with Westinghouse Electric Corporation's Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory as Procurement Manager, Program Manager, and Manufacturing Manager on a variety of Naval Nuclear Reactor fuel manufacturing programs. He worked on the Shippingport Project (the first commercial nuclear power reactor) and several submarine reactor core programs. In 1969 he had a key role in the manufacture and delivery of the advanced design replacement reactor cores for the Enterprise aircraft carrier.
From 1974 to 1983 George was at Westinghouse's Advanced Reactor Division, working on the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant Program. Assignments included management of the reactor refueling system and head area design, and program management of reactor and plant auxiliary systems design and fabrication.
From 1983 until 1987 he was Vice President and General Manager of the Maxima Corporation's Systems Technology and Support Group headquartered in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Maxima provided systems design, performance analysis, environmental engineering, facilities management, computer systems management, and information processing services.
From 1987 to 1993 George was President, Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Performance Development Corporation, an engineering services company providing management consulting to a variety of Federal, commercial and government prime contractor customers.
George retired in 1993 but continued for several years to put in a few hours each week performing consulting work for Performance Development Corporation and East Tennessee Materials and Energy Corporation. He participated in Oak Ridge and Roane County civic activities and was a member of East Tennessee Economic Council Board of Directors. George worked on the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance for Seniors Program. He served as Secretary of Gene Research Access Corporation (GENRAC), a 501(c)(3) corporation assisting Oak Ridge National Laboratory Biology Division in establishing a public/private partnership. He was Membership Director of the Oak Ridge Amateur Radio Club as well as serving on the advisory board for the Anderson County Drug Court, programming their database. As part of his great love for the outdoors, George served as Treasurer and Director of Smoky Mountains Hiking Club for many years. He coordinated Appalachian Trail Maintainer Committee work activities and served as the Hiking Club representative to ATC's Southern Regional Partnership. More recently he managed the finances for ATC Cullowhee 2013, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's biennial conference.
George is survived by daughter Diane L. Petrilla M.D. (spouse Eric Keller), son George H. Ritter (wife Chris), and son John B. Ritter (wife Lee). He is survived by 7 grandchildren (Joe Petrilla and wife Tara, Ally Petrilla, Addy Petrilla, Nick Ritter, Clare Ritter, Jennifer Ritter and Shannon Ritter) as well as 3 great grandchildren (Sierra, Kaia and Leyna). He is also survived by his long-time companion Betty Glenn, as well as sister Suzanne Chandler (husband Richard) and nieces and nephews.
Our father lived his life with extraordinary determination, a wonderful sense of humor, and great integrity. He was a "force" to all who knew him. His legacy to his family is those qualities, as well as his enduring love of the outdoors and the joyfulness it brings to all our lives. He will be missed beyond measure.
Donations in his honor can be made to the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, PO Box 51592, Knoxville, TN. 37950-1592 or to the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, 799 Washington St., Harper's Ferry, WV 25425-0807.
Arrangements entrusted with Martin Oak Ridge Funeral Home.
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