Brian H. Ritchie

Firefighter Lieutenant Brian H Ritchie, 50, of Follansbee WV died peacefully with his family by his side at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia on Tuesday, February 2 after a courageous battle with COVID-19 which he contracted in the line of duty. Brian was born on June 26, 1970 in Steubenville, Ohio. After graduating from Steubenville Big Red in 1988, Brian enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served his country in Iraq during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. After returning to the Ohio Valley in 1992, Brian made Follansbee, West Virginia his home and worked as a federal prison guard at the FCI Elkton, a federal prison in Columbiana County, Ohio. From a young age, Brian’s grandfather Henry Kaczmarek would often take Brian and his brother Kevin to visit the Steubenville Fire Department where their uncle was a firefighter. His passion for fighting fires grew from then. At the age of 14, Brian joined the Brilliant Ohio Volunteer Fire Department. He would listen for the sound of the fire whistle to fill the air so that he could assist the department on their calls. Brian was a dedicated volunteer fire fighter with the Hooverson Heights Volunteer Fire Department for 29 years. In his last year of eligibility, he took the civil service test, left a higher paying job and accepted a full-time position with the city of Weirton Fire Department. His 17-year-old son Caleb carries on the family tradition of serving with the Hooverson Heights Volunteer Fire Department along with Brian’s partner Sierra. Brian was currently the Assistant Chief at Hooverson Hights VFD and also serving as Lieutenant in the Weirton Fire Department. Brian loved spending time with his partner Sierra and son Caleb riding a side-by-side, shooting guns, umpiring local baseball games and rocking out to 80s hair bands. He also loved the Ohio State Buckeyes, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pittsburgh Pirates and The Detroit Red Wings. Brian was preceded in death by his wife Karen Pickens Ritchie in 2014. He will be remembered with love and admiration by his son, Caleb Ray Ritchie; his long time partner Sierra Dunlevy; his mother Carol Kaczmarek Ritchie(Bill Corriston); his brother Kevin Ritchie; his sister Nikki Ritchie (Larry Vankirk); his brother, Mike Ritchie; and his sister, Jeannie (Brad) Burkhead. Public visitation will be held on Tuesday from 2:00 PM until 7:00 PM in the Weirton Room of the Millsop Community Center, where a funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 AM on Wednesday. Interment will follow at St. John’s Haven of Rest cemetery in Follansbee West Virginia, with graveside services conducted by the Weirton firefighters I.A.F.F. Local 948; The United States Air Force Honor Guard and the American Legion Post 10 Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to help Brian’s family may be made to Weirton Firefighters Association Local 948 PO Box 2353 Weirton, WV 26062. Share tributes and memories at www.grecohertnick.com 304 748 3219