SO LONG OLE FRIEND...     It is safe to say that breakfast will never be the same at Troutmans again. Our normal group of 10 or 12 friends that drift in and out between 6 and 8:AM were always greeted by a hearty "There's my friend!" or "Howdy mate!" Clarence Ritchie was my hero. 3 months younger than my Dad, I had adopted him as a replacement I suppose. I admired Clarence as a WW-II Vet, a Marine, tough when he needed to be, but since the end of the war a textile worker, husband, Father, Grandfather, and in recent years the Great Grandfather of a hearty band of little Ritchie descendants. You folks met Clarence before when I was compiling the plates for my Military collection and the photo of him with his unit in Guadalcanal was shown. (Jan '98). I told you then we affectionately called him Fossil. He liked it. We even got him a hat for his 78th Birthday that said it. FOSSIL I. Fossil II is Hoyt Overcash, another local WW II Vet who joined the many who called to tell me of our loss at the breakfast gathering. Sadly, for me, I missed breakfast that last day Clarence was with us. But for all the many days he was beside me to discuss the world and our part in it, I will always be thankful. There's a Clarence in your neighborhood. Some older Vet who survived WW II to give those of us who will listen a glimpse of why we should be thankful we had Clarence and a couple of million like him around in the early 1940's. Tattooed on his forearm was a statement of his Love, he carried into battle. "Ruth". To her our hearts go out. Thanks for the service and the memories ole friend, he is sadly missed by those who knew him.