By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Mr. Ritter

GREEN TWP. - Mike Ritter saved Elder High School's junior varsity tennis team three years ago.

With no JV coach, the program seemed doomed. Some Elder students knew Mr. Ritter from the Western Hills Indoor Racquet Club, where he gave lessons.

They told him about the team's need, so Mr. Ritter volunteered.

"He's a really great guy. He's got a heart of gold," said Kathy Tillar of Green Township, whose son graduated from Elder last year. "He started coaching the JV team because without him there would be no team. He had no kids there. My son - he just really liked him. He was a lot of fun; they had a great time with him."

It was a shock to those who knew Mr. Ritter at Elder to hear that he died of an apparent heart attack Thursday at Mercy Franciscan Hospital-Western Hills. The Green Township resident was 54.

A 1967 Elder grad, Mr. Ritter sported longish hair and rode a motorcycle.

"He was really sort of a bright, sunshiny guy," said Elder Athletic Director David Dabbelt."He always had a smile on his face."

Mr. Ritter was a mentor to his students. He "wanted them to be a lot better as a tennis player, but he wanted them to be better people," as well, Dabbelt said. "I think the kids just really respected him from the standpoint of his ability to get the most out of them."

Mr. Ritter was laid-back and often wore shorts and flip-flops - even in winter. He told the kids, "It's a game - have fun with it too," Tillar said. "I truly admired him because he helped to keep the tennis team going at Elder."

Survivors include two daughters, Lisa McMahan and Stacie MacDonald; a son, Marc Ritter; a brother, Bob Ritter, and two sisters, Monica Breitholle and Robin Hicks.

Visitation is 9:30 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Visitation Church, 3172 South Road, followed by Mass of Christian burial at 10:30 a.m.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com