Joyce Marie Barnett Ritchie, 91, passed away Friday, January 9, 2026 at her home. Visitation will be held from 6-7 p.m., Tuesday evening at Smith Funeral Home.  Funeral services are scheduled for Wednesday, January 14th at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Burial will be in Quanah Memorial Park Cemetery under direction of Smith Funeral Home.

Joyce was born October 2, 1934 in Quanah to the late John Marion and Mabel Evelyn Wright Barnett. She married William Richard "Bill" Ritchie on August 10, 1954. She was a lifelong resident of Hardeman County. She graduated from Quanah High School in 1954.

Joyce was a true country girl. As a child her family worked on dairies and farms throughout the county. She started milking cows at age 4. She worked picking cotton, shocking feed, and anything else they could do to survive. After marriage she was a farmer's wife and worked along side Bill on the R.M. Wells farm in the North Groesbeck Community.  She loved gardening, canning, making wild plum jelly, bird watching, quilting, sewing, embroidery, fishing, playing dominoes, bingo, croquet and card games. She cooked a lot of cinnamon toast and red beans and cornbread for the many nieces and nephews that loved to come visit every weekend.

She started a job in town when Sandra started high school. She worked for 33 years for Rolling Plains Management as a cook for the headstart and daycare programs. She was a member of the Bible Baptist Church,  Ladies Auxiliary and the Woohoo Bingo Crew.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; granddaughter, Maggie Rae Ritchie; grandson, Lethal Wiseman, Jr.; great-grandson Wyatt Dalton Welch; great-great granddaughter, Coraline Marie Galvan; siblings Hazel Hammons, Dora Brooks, Gerald Barnett, Willie Barnett, Dale Barnett, Sylvia Weddle, Jean Pitts, Kay Tilley, Claudia Morris, and all their spouses; 2 infant brothers, John Thomas Barnett and James Timothy Barnett; one brother John David Barnett, Jr., at the age of 1 year 8 months.

Survivors include two daughters Caroline Edwards and Sandra Ritchie, one son Billy Ray Ritchie and wife, Susie; two granddaughters, Patricia Cree and Carrie Wiseman (Dean) all of Quanah; three grandsons, Matthew Ritchie of Dallas, Jamie (Paul) Parks of Moore, Oklahoma, and Chipper (LuAnn) Edwards of Bowie; great grandchildren, Shawnee, Aolani, Patience, Jay, Sara, Shannon, Dustin and Dillon. Great-great grandchildren, Aiden and one on the way. A host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends also survive.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials be made to the following: Quanah Senior Citizens Center (Meals on Wheels), PO Box 492, Quanah, Texas 79252; First Baptist Church, PO Box 681, Quanah, Texas 79252; Hospice of Wichita Falls, 4909 Johnson Road, Wichita Falls 76310; or the charity of your choice.