CONSTANCE CURRAN RITCHIE DUHAMEL

Constance Curran Ritchie DuHamel died on February 6, 2024, just two weeks shy of her 95th birthday. Connie’s remarkable faith in God sustained her to the end, and her family is comforted to know that she returned into God’s arms, joining her husband, Young, her daughter, Kate and two brothers James M.C. Ritchie and F. Somers Ritchie. Connie’s charismatic enthusiasm, indomitable love of life, and unquenchable delight in her family and friends were an inspiration to those around her.

The daughter of Constance Curran Ritchie Skinner and Frederic Somers Ritchie, Connie was born in Montclair, New Jersey, where she lived and raised her family. Her years in Montclair were particularly happy ones. She was a gifted student at The Kimberly School, and an active member of the Montclair Junior League, Montclair Golf Club, Montclair Historical Society, Montclair Art Museum, and Montclair Garden Club. The Immaculate Conception Church sustained her throughout her life.

When choosing a college, she selected Smith, following in her mother’s footsteps. After graduation, she hit the ground running at House Beautiful magazine in New York City, to which she commuted daily in her carpool of fellows who admired her spirit and encouraged her to marry Young, an equal match in athletics, humor, intellect and faith. The rest is history. As six daughters followed, Young would often say “I’m simply perfecting what I do best.”

Encouraged by longstanding friends from Montclair, Connie and Young arrived in Little Compton, Rhode Island, in 1962, where they became lifelong members of the Sakonnet Golf Club and St. Catherine of Siena Church. Connie will always be remembered as a formidable opponent on the tennis courts. She took up golf later in life and played a relaxed game; she was often up for playing three holes with her family during summer afternoons close to sunset. Sunday evening pilgrimages to the picnic on the rocks with her family and friends were one of her and Young’s favorite traditions. 

Connie leaves behind her brother Robert M. Skinner (Elizabeth), daughters, Stancy (Carolyn), Lucie, Betsy, Emily (Monty) and Charlotte (Greg), her grandchildren: Katherine DuHamel, Grace Williams-DuHamel (Jackson), Anna Kirk and Young Kirk(Michelle), Kenny Ryan, Gabriel Brower, Gregory and Sacha Licholai and great grandson Oakland Kirk. They all appreciated her fun loving, patient and thoughtful nature, her curious mind and captivating tales, her love of history and the arts, and her capacity to recall and answer questions about events in her long and well lived time on earth. She was passionate about the outdoors, and refilled her bird feeders with diligence.

Connie’s surviving daughters and their families are grateful for her dedicated caregivers who became her close friends. The family is indebted to the caring staff at Brookdale Sakonnet Bay who made it possible for Connie to continue to enjoy her life and remain engaged until the end.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, March 9th at 10AM at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 74 Simmons Rd, Little Compton, RI. (Reception to follow). Letters of condolence may be forwarded to: Charlotte DuHamel, 581 West Main Road, Little Compton, RI 02837.

For those who wish to make a donation in Connie’s name, please consider Portsmouth Abbey in Portsmouth, RI or the Presby Iris Gardens in Montclair, NJ.

Arrangements by Fern Acres Funeral Home. For expressions of sympathy please visit www.FernAcresFuneralHome.com