Longtime Oklahoma pastor Arbuary Gene Ritter, 86, died on Nov. 27 at home in Marlow. Ritter was born in Marlow on Oct. 25, 1938, to Arbuary M. Ritter and Willie Lois Ritter. He was saved at age 15 at Marlow, Eastside, where he soon felt the call to ministry, dedicating his life to serving his Lord and his community.

Arbuary Ritter, center, is joined by his wife and faithful members of Randlett, Union Valley. The members pictured were children when Ritter started his pastorate at Union Valley in 1958

Arbuary’s ministerial journey included pastoring several congregations, including Denton Church near Marlow;  Purnell, First; Geronimo, First; and Randlett, Union Valley in Cookietown. For more than 60 years, he faithfully served as pastor of the Union Valley, retiring on Aug. 22, 2021—a record in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Beyond his role as a pastor, Arbuary served as a uniformed chaplain for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, offering spiritual support to officers and their families. He was also a proud member of the Oklahoma State Troopers Association.

Arbuary also dedicated many years to being an educator. He served in various roles at Burkburnett ISD in Texas. He retired in Texas as Superintendent of Bellevue ISD and later retired in Oklahoma as Superintendent of Big Pasture Schools in Randlett.

In a story published by the Baptist Messenger in 2018, Ritter talked about God’s faithfulness during his ministry service. Both he and the church have stood the test of time.

From left, James Swain, Walter Wilson, Ritter, Troy Taylor and Mike Tompkins, retired director of missions in Comanche-Cotton Association, enjoyed Ritter’s retirement service and reception.

When he felt the Lord calling him to preach, he told the pastor at Eastside.

“He told me, ‘Okay you’re surrendering to preach, you get to preach next Sunday,’ and that’s when I started,” Ritter said with a laugh.

As a high school student, Ritter pastored his first congregation at Denton in Mullins Association from 1955-57. He was ordained in that time, on March 29, 1956.

Ritter said being in ministry is not about you, or what you can accomplish on your own.

“Don’t aspire to greatness or think ‘I need to go to a bigger, better church,’” he said. “Just follow where He leads, and He will make your path straight.”