In 1987, Jeannie Ritter and her husband closed up their house, packed up their 1-year-old son and headed off to Zambia where they managed a food distribution and nutrition center



As lay missionaries with the Catholic Church, they trucked 60 tons of food a month from the Zambian capital 400 miles to their depot in Mongu. They then distributed the food deep into the drought-stricken sub-Saharan bush. Bill and Jeannie also added poultry and fishery programs. They taught women the importance of good nutrition and food preparation for their families. And in a country ravaged by AIDS, malaria, leprosy and chronic malnourishment, Bill and Jeannie taught basic health care. Nearly 35 percent of children younger than 5 suffered from chronic malnourishment. Bill and Jeannie’s young son, August, became fast friends with the local children. Their second son, Abe, was born in Africa.

In 1987, Jeannie Ritter and her husband closed up their house, packed up their 1-year-old son and headed off to Zambia where they managed a food distribution and nutrition center

Jeannie Ritter

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Caption: Jeane Ritter in Zambia where she and her husband managed a food distribution and nutrition center as lay missionaries with the Catholic Church.

Jeannie Ritter (born 1958, Denver, Colorado is the wife of Bill Ritter (born August William Ritter Jr., 1958, Denver, Colorado), an American politician from Colorado who is Governor elect. When her husband takes office, she will be the 41st First Lady of Colorado.

Bill and Jeannie Ritter married in 1984. They have four children, August (20), Abe (18), Sam (15), and Tally (13). Jeannie is a substitute teacher in the Denver Public Schools District, and the majority of their extended family lives in Colorado.

[edit] Missionary Work

In 1987, Bill was a fifth-year prosecutor working as an assistant district attorney in Denver. His career was on the rise, but he and Jeannie decided to make a major change. They closed up their house, packed up their 1-year-old son and headed off to Zambia where they managed a food distribution and nutrition center.

As lay missionaries with the Catholic Church, they trucked 60 tons of food a month from the Zambian capital 400 miles to their depot in Mongu. They then distributed the food deep into the drought-stricken sub-Saharan bush. Bill and Jeannie also added poultry and fishery programs. They taught women the importance of good nutrition and food preparation for their families. And in a country ravaged by AIDS, malaria, leprosy and chronic malnourishment, Bill and Jeannie taught basic health care. Nearly 35 percent of children younger than 5 suffered from chronic malnourishment. Bill and Jeannie’s young son, August, became fast friends with the local children. Their second son, Abe, was born in Africa.

“In Africa, I learned that leadership is about listening to people, understanding their struggles, and walking with them on the path to a better tomorrow. We were forever inspired by the hope and spirit of the people of Africa, even in the face of such poverty and despair.” The Ritters returned to Denver from Zambia in 1990. Three years later, then-Gov. Roy Romer appointed Ritter as Denver’s district attorney, citing Ritter’s service in Africa as an important part of the decision.

Ritter has recently unveiled a new page on his website featuring his three-year tour as a volunteer in Africa. The page is accessible at http://ritterforgovernor.com/africa.cfm. The site includes a 78-second video cut from personal home movies that Bill and Jeannie, shot while in Zambia. The page also features two dozen photographs from their time there.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: December, 2006; Peace Corps Tunisia; Directory of Tunisia RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Tunisia RPCVs; Religion; Service; Peace Corps Zambia; Directory of Zambia RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Zambia RPCVs; Colorado

When this story was posted in December 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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All Volunteers Safe in Fiji All Volunteers in Fiji are safe and accounted for. The Peace Corps is monitoring the situation very closely. Volunteers are on standfast but there are no plans for evacuation at this time. Peace Corps is working closely with the US embassy and with host country partners to monitor the situation. Peace Corps is confident that volunteers are not in harm's way. The military seized control of Fiji on December 5 after weeks of threats. Subscribe to our news feed to read the latest breaking news.

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