CENTER VALLEY, Pa. — Faculty, staff, students and alumni of Penn State Lehigh Valley are mourning the loss of Eric Matthew Ritter, information technology specialist for the past 12 years at the Lehigh Valley campus. Ritter died unexpectedly in his home on March 16. He was 36.
“I will miss Eric dearly. He had a great sense of humor and was quite brilliant. His creativity served the campus well as he invented solutions to all sorts of technical problems,” said Kenneth Thigpen, director of academic affairs at Penn State Lehigh Valley. “He was always willing to help out on the spur of the moment. He was a valued team member in IT.”
Ritter, of Topton, was a 1997 graduate of Brandywine Heights Area High School. He received a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology from Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College in 2002.
“Eric was a great friend and colleague. We all knew of Eric's kindness, friendship, knowledge of all things IT, and love for Penn State, but it is amazing how far that reached. We have received calls and emails from throughout the University; he was loved and respected by many,” said Michael Morgan, information technology manager and Eric’s supervisor for eight years at Penn State Lehigh Valley.
Ritter was a gaming enthusiast, Star Wars fan, and a lifelong student of history. He was a brother, son, and friend to everyone who knew him — known as the life of the party, a rock of stability in times of need, and he never failed to find unique and beautiful ways to show his friends and family how much he cared for them.
A campus event to remember and celebrate Ritter will be scheduled in the near future. A memorial celebration of his life will be announced by his family in the future. Condolences may be recorded at www.ludwickfh.com.