Dianne Marie Ritchey

Dianne Marie Ritchey was born in Denver, Colorado on March 25, 1946. She was the middle child of a big mostly Italian family, two older siblings, Bob and Judy, and two younger siblings, Dena and Duane.
Dianne graduated from Alameda High School but not before meeting Michael Thomas Ritchey, who went by Tom, at a New Year's Eve Party in 1963. They married on February 27, 1965 and less than a year later, their first child, Scott, was born. Their second son, Aaron, came along five years later. They lived in their house in Lakewood on Flower Street for over twenty years.
Dianne was an active woman even as a young mother, and worked at a department store, joined a sorority, and made a home. But it wasn't long before she got restless. When her sister Dena went to college, Dianne joined her. She took a philosophy class, which led to a psychology class, which eventually led to a Master's Degree in social work.
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, with a degree from Denver University, Dianne started a very successful private practice as a marriage and family counselor. She started Southeast Consultants and got an office on Pearl Street, but eventually moved to an office off Colorado Boulevard. She made a good living helping people with their emotional problems.
My mom loved her job, even the case notes she did every night, diligently.
My mom loved the color peach, otherwise known as 907 Natural. She also loved angels, butterflies, and self-help books, especially books on spirituality. She adored Richard Rohr and Father Thomas Keating.
After their sons moved out, Dianne and Tom moved to a wonderful house below Bear Creek Reservoir, a huge acre of cottonwoods and a large grassy lawn.
In the Bear Creek House, Dianne helped raise her granddaughters, Asha and Ella. Dianne loved being called Nana.
Dianne stayed active. She went on bike rides and hikes with her husband, long runs with her son, and often she'd go cross-country skiing when there was enough snow.
Even with two adorable granddaughters, my mom kept working at Southeast Consultants, well into her sixties.
She and Tom bought a timeshare in Cabo San Lucas, and enjoyed it every year for twenty years. She also took trips to Ireland, Spain, France, and Austria. One of the joys of her life was her yearly trips to St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado for her silent retreats. She also became a very active member of the Center for Contemplative Living, meditating twice a day for twenty years. This helped her cope with the death of her son, Scott, in 2021.
Dianne was a seeker. She longed for the comfort of mental health and a strong spirit, and she dedicated her life to finding freedom, both for herself and for others.
She passed away from metastatic melanoma on December 18, 2023.
Funeral Mass Thursday, January 4, 2024, 10:00 am, Shrine of St. Anne Catholic Church, 7555 Grant Place, Arvada, CO 80002.