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Carl "Pete" Ritter
06/06/1940 - 01/07/2025
Advance, Missouri
| Visitation: | 01/09/2025 |
| Service: | 01/10/2025 |
Carl Dean Ritter Sr, also known as Pete, of Cape Girardeau, MO, formerly of Advance, MO transitioned to his heavenly home surrounded by his family at his residence on January 07, 2025, at the age of 84. Carl was born on June 6, 1940, in Advance, MO and was the son of Jacob and Maud (Barks) Ritter.
Carl was a 1958 graduate of Advance High School where he was a member of the Class M state runner up basketball team his junior year and achieved the honors of All-State his junior and senior year. He went on to play basketball at Southeast Missouri State from 1959-1963 where he was Southeasts all-time career scoring leader with 1916 points, earned both second-team National Association of Basketball Coaches (1963) and Associated Press (1961) All-America honors. He also holds the following records at Southeast with Career Free Throws Made 580, Career Free Throws Attempted 664, Single Season Free Throws Made 184, Single Game Free Throws Made 18 and Single Game Free Throws Attempted 22. He is a member of the Missouri Basketball Hall of Fame and was part of Southeasts inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2002. Ritters jersey number 32 is the only retired number in Southeast Missouri State mens basketball history. He was the first draft pick from Southeast Missouri State who was selected in the 10th round (75th overall pick) by the St. Louis Hawks in the 1963 NBA draft. He was honored by being inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in Springfield, MO on August 7th, 1993. In 2019, the inaugural year, he was inducted into the Advance High School Sports Hall of Fame.
After his basketball career, he entered the teaching and coaching profession where he taught school at Leopold, Zalma, Matthews and finished up his career as the physical education instructor and principal at Bell City High School. While at Bell City he led the 1981 boys basketball team to a third-place finish in the State then in 1996 he led the girls volleyball team to a class 1 State title.
After his retirement he served on the Advance City board as alderman before being elected the mayor of Advance, where he served from April 12th, 2010, to April 8th, 2019.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Carolyn (Shell) Ritter. A son, Carl (Angie) Ritter, grandson, Jared (Jaime) Ritter and granddaughter, Kacie (Eric) Speight all of Cape Girardeau, MO. A brother, Fred Ritter of Advance, MO. He was blessed with 7 great grands. Gwenyth, Pacey, Jerron, Blakley, Karter, Nolan and Boston. He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, Stephen (Bubby) Ritter and two brothers Harold Winchester and Robert Ritter.
He was a member of Bethel General Baptist Church where he taught Sunday School for many years.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 9th from 4pm to 8pm with funeral services on Friday, January 10th at 11:00 am at Morgan Funeral Home in Advance, MO.
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