Oleta Ritter Webb, 98, peacefully passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at Sanctuary Hospice House in Tupelo after an extended illness. She was born November 21,1924, in Amory, Mississippi, the daughter of the late Era Halon and Ivy Dewdrop Lewis Ritter. She was the last living 1942 graduate of Amory High School.. She was the widow of Sampson Webb, whom she married December 9,1942. After sixty-six years of marriage, they were parted by Sam’s death in 2008.
She was a kind woman, who always put the needs of others ahead of her own, seldom complaining and extremely strong when faced with adversity, always choosing prayer over panic. She started working at age nine, washing pint fruit jars, followed by washing dishes, age ten, and hoeing and picking cotton, age twelve. During her adult working career, she was a switchboard operator for Southern Bell, a shipping department clerk for Amory Garment Company, general office worker for Hunter Sadler, billing clerk for Campbell 66 Express, financial secretary for Tupelo First Methodist Church, billing clerk for Memphis Minute Man Delivery, and payroll clerk for Thurston Motor Lines. Throughout the years, she handled all the office work for Webb Plumbing Service. In 1985 she became office manager for Guy’s Catering, retiring from full time employment twenty years later, but continued to work part time at Weatherall Printing, finishing her working career in 2013.
She was an active member and held leadership roles in many churches throughout Northeast Mississippi, serving on official boards and administrative councils. She taught Sunday school for sixty plus years before her health failed. One of her children’s earliest memories is her sitting around the dining room table, spiral notebook in front of her, surrounded by Bible commentaries, preparing her notes to teach an upcoming Sunday school class. The most numerous items she leaves behind are prayer lists containing names of family and friends and thank–you notes to God, tucked away in her Bibles and books. She was an avid reader and an award winning quilter, who loved to make baby quilts for family and church friends. She was a wonderful and beloved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother who could easily say “no” to her children, would seldom say “no” to her grandchildren and dropped “no” from her vocabulary when she was with her great grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 11 AM Tuesday, January 24, 2023, in the Sadie Holland Memorial Chapel at Holland Funeral Directors-Tupelo with the Reverend Dr. Jim McClurkan and Bro. Butch Cook officiating. Her final earthly move will be to the Chapel of Faith Mausoleum at Lee Memorial Park. Visitation will be Tuesday from 9AM until 11AM at the funeral home. For those unable to attend, the service may be viewed at www.hollandfuneraldirectors.com/Livestreaming at 11AM Tuesday, and will be permanently archived thereafter.
Survivors include, one son David Webb of Tupelo (special friend John Nicholas of Invercargill, New Zealand); two daughters, Judy Griffie (special friend David Williams) of Tupelo and Martha Jenkins (Guy) of Grenada; and daughter-in-law Nancy Webb of Wichita, Kansas; five grandchildren, Sam Griffie (Judy) of Amory, Jason Webb (Melissa) of Cheney, Kansas, Robert Jenkins of Grenada, Elizabeth Burgess (Trey) of Charlotte, North Carolina, Marshall Jenkins (Linsey) of Tupelo; eight great grandchildren, Ashley and Spencer Griffie, Kaitlyn and Audrey Webb; Jacob Tackett and Avery Palmer, Price and Paxton Burgess; her brother Harold Ritter of Wilmington, Delaware, sister-in-law Mae Ritter of Amory and her beloved caregiver Sharon Chandler. She also leaves behind other family members and a host of friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Sampson Webb, a son Richard Webb, a brother, Winford Ritter and wife Evelyn of Destin, Florida, a brother Herschel Ritter of Amory, sister-in-law Shirly Ritter of Wilmington, Delaware, sister-in-law, Maurene Herndon, brother-in-law, William Webb and wife Grace of Amory.
Pall bearers will be Buddy Ritter, Rick Ritter, Jim Ritter, Randy Ritter, Tom Ritter, and Rex Hiatt.
Memorials may be made to the Verona Methodist Church, P. O. Box 370, Verona, MS 38879, Tupelo Sanctuary Hospice House, P. O. Box 2177, Tupelo, MS 38803, or Mississippi Methodist Senior Services INC., P. O. Box 1567, Tupelo, MS 38802.
