PALMER – Ronald F. “Ron” Ritter, 86, of Palmer and a former resident of the Fairview section of Chicopee, was Called Safely Home on Saturday, August 15, 2020. He passed into Eternal Life at Baystate Wing Hospital in Palmer surrounded by the care and comfort of his loving family. He was born in Holyoke on October 25, 1933, a beloved son of the late Frederick and Mabel (Renaud) Ritter. He was raised in Holyoke and graduated from Holyoke High School in 1951. He moved to Fairview in 1964 where he lived for 50 years before moving to Palmer in 2017. Ron served his country during the Korean War in the United States Air Force and attained the rank of Airman First Class. Following his military service, Ron returned to the area and later worked as an insurance agent for the Remillard Insurance Agency in South Hadley, retiring in 2006. In his younger years, he was very proud to have been a Boy Scout Leader and was an avid roller skater competing in the area with his competition partner, Billy Byer. He was a longtime communicant of Saint Patrick Church in South Hadley Falls where he served his parish as a Lecturer, Eucharistic Minister and a member of the Men’s Club. Most of all, he was a hardworking man who loved his family and his many friends. He leaves his beloved wife and soul mate, Bridget M. (Monaghan) Ritter. They were married on August 20, 1960 at Sacred Heart Church in Holyoke and would have celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in five days. In addition to his wife, he leaves his four loving children, Ann M. Atkinson of Chicopee, Stuart A. Ritter of Feeding Hills, Kevin F. Ritter of Stuart, FL and Lori M. Labonte and her husband, Christopher, of Palmer; his ten cherished grandchildren, Bridgette Maitre and her husband, Ryan, Katharine Atkinson, Collin Ritter, Elijah Ritter, Elisabeth Atkinson, Cameron Ritter, Avery Labonte, Andrew Labonte, Jennifer Ritter and Christina Ritter; his two cherished great grandchildren, Rori and Bode Maitre; his dear sister, Shirley Fern of Palmetto, FL; his dear brothers-in law and sisters-in-law, Michael Monaghan and his wife, Bridie, and John J. Monaghan and his wife, Celia, all of Chicopee, Frank Ginty, and Mary Curran, both of England and Sheila Conway and her husband, John, of New Port Richey, FL; and his many dear nephews, nieces, cousins, extended members of the Ritter and Monaghan families and numerous friends. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his dear son-in-law, Terrence F. “Terry” Atkinson who was Called Home on April 4, 2016; his sister-in-law, Ann Ginty; and his three brothers-in-law, Edward Fern, Patrick Monaghan and his wife, Mary, and James Curran. His Funeral will be held on Friday, August 21, 2020 beginning at the St. Pierre – Phaneuf Fairview Chapels, (413-533-3307), 506 Britton Street, Chicopee, MA 01020, (funeral home will open at 9:30 a.m.), followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. at Saint Patrick Church, 30 Main Street, South Hadley, MA 01075, (please note that the funeral home, Church and cemetery services have limited capacity, face masks must be worn and social distancing must be observed per state guidelines). His Committal Service will follow the Mass with United States Air Force Military Honors at 1 p.m. in the Chapel at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 1390 Main Street, Agawam, MA 01001. His family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday, August 20, 2020 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. The funeral home parking lot is located in the rear. His family requests that memorial donations may be made in his memory to Lorraine’s Soup Kitchen and Pantry, 170 Pendexter Avenue, Chicopee, MA 01013 or the Shriners Hospital for Children, Springfield Unit, 516 Carew Street, Springfield, MA 01104. For more details and to leave his family online condolence messages, please visit: www.stpierrephaneuf.com