Obituary of Madeline Jean Ritter

Madeline Jean “Maddox” Ritter, born March 26, 2006, of Cecil Township, died unexpectedly on October 20, 2022, at the age of 16. Maddie is survived by her parents, Mark E. Ritter and April L. (Heinrich) Ritter; a brother, Mason C. Ritter; grandparents, Mary Ritter, Patti Heinrich and James Heinrich; aunts, Holly Heinrich and Arlene Ritter, and an uncle, James Ritter. Maddie is predeceased by a paternal grandfather, David Ritter. Maddie was passionate about caring for all living things with a special love for her dog and guinea pig, and chose to live primarily as a vegetarian. However, shrimp didn’t count – they were not so cute and they got a pass. It was not uncommon for her to be found at Starbucks with her Dad swapping stories where halfway through the date, they would declare “SWITCH TREATS” or clearing the shelves of Joanne Fabrics with her Mom gathering what was needed for the latest creative pursuit. Common of most siblings, Maddie and Mason toggled between fiercely competing and being partners in crime, depending on the day. Their relationship was rooted in a love only known and understood between siblings. He will miss being greeted by her prominently displayed middle finger. An avid collector of anything and everything, especially that considered odd by most, Maddie possessed an exceptional artistic sense and used her collections and talent to create pieces that can only be described as transformational magic. Her creative skills earned her a coveted opportunity to study media arts at Lincoln Park where she continued to flourish. She recently completed her SAT’s, as part of her plan to study medical illustration abroad. Her diligence and hard work could also be seen outside of school, at the local McDonalds, where she earned Employee of the Month. As part of her personal transformation, Maddie chose to identify as Maddox (he/him) and was actively involved with the LGBTQ community and looked forward to attending the Pride Fest every year. Friends received Thursday, 2-4 and 6-8 pm, at the Warchol Funeral Home, Inc., 3060 Washington Pike, Bridgeville (412-221-3333), where a service will be held Friday at 11 am. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to thetrevorproject.org, the world’s largest Suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQ young people. Donations can be made in “Maddox’s” name.