Lee Canfield Ritchie

Lee Canfield Ritchie, a beloved husband, father, committed church member, and businessman, passed away peacefully on July 5, 2025, at the age of 73, surrounded by his family. He leaves behind a profound legacy in the countless lives he touched through his love, friendship, and steadfast Christian faith.

Born on July 21, 1951, Lee was the second of six children born to Robert Field and Catherine Canfield Ritchie. A lifelong resident of University Park, Texas, Lee spent his early years fishing for crawdads with his older brother and friends in the creek that is now Tulane Street, enlisting the beloved family cook, Dean, to fend off would-be Christmas tree fort raiders with a broom, and honing his quick wit and penchant for humorously embarrassing his four younger sisters—a trait that never left him.

Lee went on to attend Southern Methodist University, graduating in 1976 with a Master of Business Administration. During that time, Lee and several others assisted his friend Rick Laymon in founding the Young Singles group at Highland Park Presbyterian Church. The small group grew to welcome hundreds of weekly attendees, including one Mindy Power. Mindy and Lee met, fell in love and were married a year later in 1978.

The ultimate husband and gentleman, Lee never allowed Mindy to open a door by herself. Throughout their more than 46 years of marriage, Lee and Mindy remained the best of friends, faithful partners, and each other’s greatest support through the challenges of life. In 1981, they welcomed a daughter, Heather, and in 1984, a son, Robert. Lee’s love for his children was unparalleled; he was always willing to sacrifice his personal time and energy for their benefit. The sense of humor he developed early in life, however, never changed and he reveled in teasing his children—proudly sporting a “No Whining” hat in front of their friends, attempting to pay with a blatantly counterfeit million dollar bill, endlessly repeating the same deadpan dad jokes, and generally seeking any opportunity to lighten the mood.

Lee took great care to educate his children in the Christian faith. His favorite proverb—and one the Ritchie children often gave him occasion to repeat—was “he who has friends must himself be friendly” (Prv. 18:24). Lee exemplified this principle, blessing those around him with kindness and generosity, and in turn being blessed with close friends whose numbers grew until his last day.

In his later years, many of Lee’s closest friendships blossomed through his service at All Saints Dallas. Lee was one of the 17 founding members of All Saints in 2010, playing an instrumental role in the initial establishment of the new community. He subsequently served in a number of leadership roles at the church and was a pillar of the growing Anglican community in Dallas.

Lee was blessed with a sharp business mind and enjoyed a distinguished professional life. In 1987, he was named president of Rupe Investment Corporation, a role he held for the rest of his career. During his tenure, Lee led Rupe’s management of numerous prominent businesses, including Mapsco Inc. and Hutton Communications, Inc.

Predeceased by his beloved parents, Lee is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mindy; his siblings Allan Ritchie, Ann Myers, Kate Deloache, Sara Wood, and Beth Kaye; his daughter Heather (and son-in-law Jeff) Wilson; and his son Robert (and daughter-in-law Beth) Ritchie. He also leaves behind the pride and joy of his later years—his six grandchildren: Ainslee and Caitlin Wilson, and Lucy, Clare, Peter, and Jane Ritchie, with whom he enjoyed extraordinarily close and loving relationships.

Lee leaves an indelible mark on all who knew him—an extraordinary man whose love, wisdom, and compassion will be remembered and cherished forever. A private burial service will be held on Saturday, July 12, followed by a memorial service at 11:00 am at All Saints Dallas, 901 S. Ervay St, Dallas, TX 75201.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making tribute gifts to All Saints Dallas or the Callier Center for Communication Disorders at UT Dallas.

To view memorial service, visit:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRKkth5OWDc