Carmel - Anita Ritchie (Harlow), 81, of Carmel, Indiana, passed away peacefully on January 27,2026, while holding the hand of her daughter Beth, after a valiant eleven-month battle against a cascade of illnesses.

Anita was born in 1944 to Fred and Ruth Harlow and raised in the small Southern Illinois town of Mt. Vernon. The oldest of four sisters separated by nine years in age, Anita was thrust into adulthood at age 12 when Fred died much too young, leaving Ruth to raise four girls as a single mother on the wages of a small-church secretary.

Anita left home to attend Deconess Nursing School, becoming the first in her family to earn a college degree. She began her career at a center providing care to children with intellectual disabilities. It was in Centralia that she met and married David Ritchie, her beloved husband of 48 years. She left nursing to work alongside David as owners of a local retail store, while raising their children, Alex and Beth. In 1984 they moved to New Mexico to open a new store and seek a new and adventure-filled life. Later in life, Anita returned to her nursing career while often working retail jobs on the weekends to help support the family. For the remaining two decades of her career, she devoted herself to geriatric care, working at nursing homes in various leadership positions.

Anita was a Christian who humbly walked in this world as God intended. She was kind, non-judgmental, devoted to caring for others, a mindful listener, and self-less. She abhorred hate, embraced diversity, and modeled Jesus's love for all. As a parent, she did not coddle but encouraged hard work and independence with love and compassion.

Anita disliked driving, heights (especially bridges), profanity, and blasphemy. She loved sitting and walking on the beach, vodka martinis (in moderation), a good steak, pink clothes, strawberry-themed everything, angel figurines, going out to breakfast, shoes, and her annoying miniature dachshunds. More than anything, she loved her children, her grandchildren, her dear, dear sisters, her husband, David, and her Savior, who has reunited David and Anita forever.

Anita is survived by her son Alex Ritchie (spouse Amy), daughter Beth Stewart (spouse Allen), grandchildren Madison Stewart (fiancé Calvin Lodge), Ayden Stewart, Allison Ritchie, Anna Ritchie (fiancé Mason Ebersole), and Gavin Stewart, great grandchild Teddy (expected March), and sisters Natalie Woodrome (Roger), Melissa Baker (Charlie) and Camilla Dude (David); and was predeceased in death by her husband, David Ritchie, and her parents Fred and Ruth Harlow.

A celebration of Anita's life will be held on a date to be announced in the spring in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.

Anita's family is extremely grateful to the medical and nursing staff at IU North Hospital in Carmel, Indiana, for treating her with compassion, dignity, and respect during the past eleven months.