Obituary of William P Ritter

William "Bill" Ritter passed away on March 15, 2025, at UHS Binghamton General Hospital in Binghamton, New York. Born on June 2, 1939, in New York, New York, to George and Grace Ritter, Bill led a life marked by innovation, leadership, service and faith. Bill graduated from Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida, in 1957 as a Junior ROTC Lieutenant. He continued his education at the University of Tampa and the University of South Florida, where he studied Business Administration. Bill proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1961 where he attended electronics school, trained in missile repair and taught swimming at the Aquatics Training Center at Fort Bliss, Texas. Bill began his professional journey at Honeywell before joining IBM in Huntsville, Alabama. He transferred north with IBM and moved to Vestal, New York in 1971. Throughout his career he worked on both classified and unclassified military aircraft programs including the F-117, Nike Ajax, the Mobile launcher for the Saturn V rocket system used for NASA's Apollo missions to the moon. His expertise in airborne computer systems played a crucial role in advancing military technology. In 1994, after decades of dedicated service at IBM, he transitioned to Lockheed Martin as Site Configuration Manager for the Owego plant until his retirement in 2001. His leadership skills carried through to a distinguished 36-year career with IBM and Lockheed Martin. Beyond his corporate contributions, Bill was an integral part of the GEIA/EIA team that developed worldwide Configuration Management standards for commercial and military applications. His strong faith and commitment to service extended within his places of worship. A longtime member of Saint Andrews Episcopal/Anglican Church in Vestal, he later became an active member and leader at Memorial Park Baptist Church, where he served as Board Chair and Treasurer for more than 15 years. Bill will be remembered for a lifetime of service, mentorship, and dedication to the community. Bill established and managed the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Binghamton, NY, the second of its kind in New York State, leaving a lasting legacy in support of affordable housing. Bill served as a mentor and coach for more than two decades with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) Greater Binghamton and mentored countless local businesses and non-profits. For many years he led the local chapter as Chair, and also served as District Director of SCORE Upstate New York, overseeing eight SCORE chapters in Central and Western New York. Bill also judged business plans for both the SUNY Broome Entrepreneur Assistance Program and the Southern Tier High School Business Plan Competition, fostering innovation and supporting aspiring entrepreneurs. From 2011 to until his death, Bill served as an Advisory Board Member for the Salvation Army of Binghamton, NY and was recently named Life Member of the Advisory Board. He found so much joy working on the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign and many other programs. Bill's profound impact, unwavering kindness, and dedication to community will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Bill found joy in gardening and canning, berry picking, swimming, and collecting Lionel model trains and Fontanini nativity pieces. He also enjoyed driving his beloved 2003 Ford Thunderbird convertible around town. Bill is survived by his loving wife of nearly 51 years, Joyce; daughter Christina Ritter (Steven Zatta) of Arlington, Virginia; brother Jack Ritter (Janet) of Temple Terrace, Florida; as well as many others who were touched by his kindness and dedication to service. Calling hours will be held on Friday, March 21, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Coleman & Daniels Funeral Home (765 Main Street, Vestal, NY). Additional calling hours will take place on Saturday, March 22, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Memorial Park Baptist Church (1013 Front Street, Vestal, NY), followed by a funeral service from 11:00 AM to 12:15 PM. Burial will follow at Vestal Hills Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Salvation Army of Binghamton, New York or Memorial Park Baptist Church in Vestal, New York in his honor.