[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 48 (Thursday, April 27, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN REMEMBERANCE OF DOUGLAS HAROLD RITCHIE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JON C. PORTER

                               of nevada

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 27, 2006

  Mr. PORTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Douglas 
Harold Ritchie, of the Las Vegas Sun, who passed away April 1, 2006, at 
the age of 86.
  Born February 20, 1920, in Portsmouth, England, Doug was the second 
eldest child of film distributor Joseph M. Ritchie and his wife, 
Jessica. Educated in Dublin, Ireland, Ritchie joined the British Army 
out of high school in the late 1930s.
  During World War II, Ritchie served as a British officer and saw 
action on D-Day at Normandy. He later served with troops that marched 
into Germany and liberated prisoner of war camps. After the war he was 
transferred to India where he served as a Major in the British Army 
through the late 1940s. There he was witness to the turmoil that 
resulted in the separation of India and Pakistan. While shocked by the 
violence he witnessed between Hindus from India and Pakistani Muslims, 
Doug calmly maintained control. That was a trait that not only helped 
him in the 1st Punjab Regiment, but throughout his life.
  Leaving the military in 1950 after 11 years, Doug came to Las Vegas. 
His brother-in-law Hank Greenspun, had purchased the Las Vegas Free 
Press from a group of International Typographical Union members who 
started the newspaper after being locked out by the Review-Journal over 
a wage dispute. Hank published his first issue of the Free Press on 
June 21, 1950, and 10 days later renamed the paper the Las Vegas Sun. 
In addition to serving as classified ad manager, Doug became head of 
Sun promotions in the 1970s and head of public relations in the 1980s.
  In 1969 Doug met Brenda Ritchie and they were married in 1971. The 
couple would have celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary on April 
10.
  Doug served full-time with the Sun until 1990, the year the paper 
entered into a joint operating agreement with the Review-Journal, which 
then took over the selling of classified ads for both papers. That 
year, Ritchie and his family moved to California, and he maintained the 
title of assistant to the publisher until his death.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to honor Douglas Ritchie on the floor 
of the House today. He will be remembered as a mild-mannered man, 
dedicated to his family and the community.

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