Carol Anne Ritter (Kennedy) took her most glorious journey on 4-15-26. Carol was born 2-1-40 and inspired many in her 86 years of life. She was born to Nell and Lloyd Collins Kennedy. Her father was a wrestler (“Irish Jack” Kennedy), and her mother died when she was 6 years old. Unable to care for his daughters, Carol and her sister Joanie were placed in St. Joseph’s Home For Girls, a Catholic orphanage (Dallas, TX). There she found guidance in the Mother Superior, Sister St. Michael. The Sisters of Charity nuns and especially Sister St. Michael helped Carol and Joanie find caregivers when they aged out of the orphanage. The girls were taken in as older teens by Irene and James B. Gay, with help from their good friend Mary Rita and her brother Mickey Plunkett.

Carol graduated from the University of Dallas, and went on to graduate school at the University of Houston. There she met Melvin L. Ritter and was wooed with plentiful meals and a shared love of music. She married Melvin and followed his science career around the country as they grew their family to six children: David Ritter, Rebecca Presas, Daniel Ritter, Rachel Schmidt, Ruth Ritter and Deborah Ritter. They settled in Pearland, TX and she worked as a mail carrier for the United States Post Office. As the children grew, she advocated for improved schooling and was elected to the Pearland ISD school board. She became a research scientist at the Texas Water Commission, later working with Drew Chemical, Ashland Chemical and Valvoline Oil. Ultimately she became an expert in ISO 9000 quality certification and implementation. She was the head of quality control for Valvoline Oil North American Products and at the top of her career when she retired to spend time with family. Retirement did not slow her down! She owned an independent consulting business, and became a docent for the Houston Museum of Natural Science (leading over 2600 hours of tours) became a Distinguished Toast Master for her work in public speaking.

Carol’s achievements in life are remarkable, but equally so was her generosity of spirit, adventurous soul and inquisitive mind that left an impact on virtually everyone she encountered. Following the tragic departure of her husband in 2018, she took to traveling and focused on docent work at the Science Museum, going with family to Scandinavia to visit Viking ships and villages, Ireland, Scotland and Italy. At the young age of 85 she went to Paris by herself to attend mass at the Notre Dame Cathedral. She was a voracious reader, making hundreds of notes while reading everything from history books to mystery novels. She was a 40+ year reader of the Houston Chronicle and completed its crossword daily, often commenting that is how she keeps her mind sharp and “her wits about her”. Carol had a strong and lifelong Catholic faith that was enacted in her love and good will towards everyone she met. Though she had six children, she made so many feel like her beloved children.

Carol joins her late husband Melvin , grandchild Leila Nuel Kennedy Schmidt and others in her heavenly family. She leaves behind 6 children and their spouses, 14 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. All who were blessed to know and love or be loved by her will strive to move “forward, forward, ever forward” and to fill their loss not with sorrow but by imitating, to the best of our ability, the love and generosity she gave others.

Carol supported and promoted family, the arts, and education above all things. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Museum of Natural Science or the Houston Grand Opera.

Visitation at Crowder Funeral Home 2422 E. Broadway St. Pearland, Texas, on April 30th, 2026 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a Rosary at 7:00 p.m. Funeral mass at St. Helen Catholic Church, May 1st, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.