Rittenhouse, Richard James

Richard James Rittenhouse, long time resident of Blacksburg, Virginia went to be with the Lord on June 11, 2024. Rich was born January 29, 1956, in Columbus, Ohio, the son of Richard and Nellie Johnson Rittenhouse.

Rich is survived by his loving and devoted wife Faythe, and by his siblings, Sherry (Tom Miller), Mike (Shirley) and Teresa (William Buxton) all of Ohio. In addition, he is survived by brother-in-law David White (Becky) of California and sister-in-law Joy Jacobsen of Washington and a special sister Mary Riley of Riner, Virginia. Other survivors include many nephews, nieces and cousins.

Rich grew up as a U.S. Air Force “brat,” living in New Hampshire, Fukuoka, Japan and Dover, Delaware.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Rich attended and graduated from Virginia Tech, Magna Cum Laude, with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. He went on to earn his professional engineering license from the state of Virginia. Subsequently, he worked as a professional engineer at Virginia Tech and Radford University doing renovation and project design. He was a member of The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Rich enjoyed traveling to far-off places such as Cuba, Spain and England. In his younger days, he had many adventures traveling the United States by motorcycle. He spent many weekends camping and exploring Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountains. One of his favorite camping locales was Dolly Sods, West Virginia.

Rich was an avid photographer, star-gazer, reader, and musician. He had a curious mind. Other interests included gardening, and tending his many flowers and plants.

Rich loved all music, but his favorite music was rooted in the Blues. His favorite instrument, the harmonica, could always be found in his pocket. Rich could be found playing the harmonica on a street corner with local musicians or on stage with such groups as Doc’s Blues Revue, Chicken Wings & Gravy, and the Rising Silo Brewery House Band. Rich was a member of The Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica (SPAH) and The New River and Central Virginia Blues Societies.

Rich was an active member of Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church. He chaired the church Building Expansion Committee when building additions and renovations were needed. The music team always enjoyed his participation with his harmonica, playing in praise of his Savior.

A private viewing will be held at McCoy Funeral Home followed by interment at the Southwestern Virginia Veterans Cemetery in Dublin, on June 13, 2024. A memorial service (open to the public) celebrating Rich’s life will be held at Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church, 2101 Shadow Lake Road, Blacksburg, on June 22 at 1:30 PM, followed by a reception.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to charities that express your vision of what freedom means.