Patricia (Pat) Elizabeth Hoover Ritchie, 90, died peacefully on Thursday, May 15, 2025, at Quiet Oaks Nursing Home in Crawford.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Paul Sutton Ritchie.
Paul and Pat were longtime residents of Oglethorpe County, where they had a farm and raised cattle and chickens. They sold their farm in 1999 and moved to the mountains of western North Carolina to the town of Hayesville, where they enjoyed their retirement and attended Mount Pleasant Baptist Church.
Patricia was born in Danville, Kentucky, on June 25, 1934, the only child of James and Ada Hoover. She is survived by her daughters Paula Canup (Douglas) and Mary Jane Perkins (Mike) of Hayesville, North Carolina, and Cindy Miller (Kevin) of Crawford.
She is also survived by grandsons Sean Canup, Blake Miller (Bethany) and Brent Miller (Victoria). Great grandchildren include Hayden Canup and Tessa, Archer, Evie, Haven and Eli Miller.
Patricia lived her life as a loving wife and mother, adored by her three daughters. She took care of three chicken houses on their farm, canned countless jars of vegetables and cared for the many animals she loved.
She was active in two churches, Meadow Baptist in Madison County and Mount Pleasant Baptist in Hayesville.
Everyone who met her commented on how sweet she was, and her family certainly agreed. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.