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Ronni Rittenhouse, Ph.D., passed on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, in Wheeling, WV.
Ronni was born on April 20, 1947, in Brooklyn, NY, the daughter of the late William and Roslyn (Silberstein) Orenstein.
In addition to her parents, Ronni was preceded in death by her brother Glenn.
Ronni is survived by her loving husband, Paul Hedges, M.D., her sister Susan (Steve), and her daughter Jennifer.
Education and compassion were hallmarks of Ronni's professional life as she worked as an addictions counselor in the Department of Behavioral Medicine at the Wheeling Clinic for many years, retiring from private practice in 2015. Ronni earned her Bachelor's degree in speech pathology from Adelphi University in New York, her Master's degree in education from Hunter College, City University of New York, and her Ph.D. in human services from Pacific Western University in Los Angeles. For her doctoral dissertation, Ronni developed a 10-week training course for middle-level managers in supervision and leadership that was completed by many of her colleagues at the Wheeling Clinic.
Ronni's contributions to the field of addictions counseling extended statewide as she was a founding and integral member of both the West Virginia Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, Inc. (WVAADC) (now the West Virginia Association of Addiction and Prevention Professionals or the WVAAPP), serving as President, and the West Virginia Certification Board for Addiction & Prevention Professionals (WVCBAPP), serving as Chair. She was known by her colleagues in these organizations as both highly skilled in her practice and full of understanding and warmth for her clients.
Ronni's faith was another mainstay of her life. Born into a Jewish family, Ronni converted to Christianity in adulthood, receiving her first communion at St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland, on Trinity Sunday in 2002. Queen Elizabeth II was present at church that day, a thrill for Ronni and her husband Paul, both self-professed Anglophiles who visited the United Kingdom together numerous times during their happy marriage.
Ronni's private arrangements are being handled by Altmeyer Funeral Homes. Condolences and memories may be offered to her family at https://altmeyerfuneral homes.com/. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the WVAAPP by visiting https://www.tmcfund ing.com/.