Ritchie Eldridge

Ritchie passed away in his sleep on July 13, 2024 in his old large farmhouse in New Lisbon, New York, where he lived with his wife, Jane. He was the only son of Richard A. Eldridge and “Betty – Dick“ Hibbard Eldridge. Although a true Cape Codder with heritage dating back to the Eldridge, Small, Nickerson and other early Cape families, Ritchie was born at Fort Screven, Georgia on May 2, 1943 as his father was being shipped overseas during World War II. He liked to say “it was because my Mama couldn’t make it North in time.” Back on the home front, Ritchie‘s mom along with the other South Chatham war moms, would bundle up the babies in the old wooden station wagon with heated wrapped bricks and stones for trips to Camp Edwards for needed supplies. Ritchie grew up along the South Chatham River and Eel Pond (Taylor’s Pond) where his family raised chickens and goats as members of the 4H club. The salt water gave an abundant supply of shellfish, flounder, eels and snapper blues in season. He was a long time Scout starting with the Cub Scouts in his folk’s cellar to Doc Keene’s camps. He was a member of Troop 70 at the South Chatham Village Hall with Wampanoag Scoutmaster, Frank James. He was also a valued and loyal member of the South Chatham Methodist, and later Community Church. 
Richie’s family and friends spent many relaxing times at the family camp at Inward Point on Monomoy where he and his friends all rode beach buggies. One of Richie’s favorite memories was when the family was stranded by ocean ice on Monomoy and had to be airlifted to the mainland by a Coast Guard helicopter.
Richie graduated from Chatham High School in 1961 and went on to learn the carpentry trade before getting into fishing full time. In 1979, he graduated from Daytona Beach Community College having mastered marine mechanics. He ran the fishing boat “Cristin” and fished on many other vessels. He was written up in Yankee Magazine as well as other fishing stories. Richie was self educated and full of knowledge on a variety of subjects. He was a true friend who never beat around the bush. After many years of fishing and seeing how Chatham was changing, he felt he had “seen the best of it.” He sold his house in Indian Hill and decided to move to Mount Vision, New York, to revamp an old deserted farmhouse where he enjoyed homesteading for a number of years. 
After his parents passing in South Chatham, Richie returned to New York with his second wife, Jane Walton. They bought a multi room farmhouse on 220 acres of land in New Lisbon. From his hunting property in New Hampshire, to his loved New York country farmhouse, he so enjoyed his life and his people. He successfully built a bridge to get to part of his property and built two apartments for rental income. An avid deer hunter, Richie was able to enjoy hunting on his own land.
Richie is survived by his wife Jane Walton Eldridge, his step daughter Caroleigh and son-in-law Joris Schampaert of Portugal, grandchildren Nastazya, Saszkya and Sebaztyn of Belgium, his namesake Richard Hewlett of Otego, New York and Kali Amaro of New York as well as his Eldridge, Small, Hibbard, Baker, Bearse, Beattie and Simmons cousins. Richie was predeceased by his step-son Scott Brennan of upstate New York. 
The world was a better place with Richie in it and those that knew him were blessed to be a part of his life.