Remembering Joben
Donations will be placed towards Joben's memorial service and burial costs
SERVICES:
All services will take place at
Santa Clara Cemetery
2370 N H St, Oxnard, CA 93036
Thursday, September 3, 2015
Visitation and Rosary
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Rosary: 6:30 pm
*Reception room will be available to guests who would like to bring food and refreshments
Friday, September 4, 2015
Funeral and Burial
12:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Reception TBD
Joben was a light gracing our earth with his warmth. Loved by everyone he met - his kind, welcoming spirit will be cherished forever. 
On August 26, 2015, Joben went in the loving arms of our Lord to join his late twin brother, Joper Bagarinao Ritchie, and their mother, Perla Bagarinao Ritchie, in Heaven. He was 36-years-old.
Joben, and his fraternal twin, Joper, were born on their mother's birthday, June 25, 1979, in Bay Bay, Leyte, Philippines. In 1986, the boys and their mother were brought to America by the boys' adoptive father, Timothy Ritchie. Shortly after, Joben and Joper were diagnosed with the neromuscular disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. The twins were given a life expectancy of early teenage years. Beating the odds, the twins were able to enjoy all of their teenage years - playing video games like normal teenaged boys, hanging with friends, going on family trips, and attending Muscular Dystrophy summer camps. They went on to live adulthood, graduating from Channel Islands High School in 1999 with honors. Then in 2002, they recieved their associates degrees in liberal arts with accolades from Oxnard College.
Tragedy struck on January 6, 2003, when Joper, 23, passed away at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, due to complications of pneumonia, on the way home from fufiling the boys' lifelong dream of seeing the Lakers play at the Staples Center.
Six years later on January 15, 2009, Joben's mother, best friend, and caregiver, Perla, passed away in Oxnard, CA, after battling a long illness. She was 48-years-old.
In 2006, Joben became a permanet resident of the Sub-Acute Unit at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital in Camarillo, CA. He would simply call the sub-acute unit "home" and the staff and fellow patients his "family" for the next eight years of his life.
He quickly became a fixture and patient advocate of the sub-acute, earning him the nicknames The Mayor and The President. It was Joben's personal mission to ensure the patients of SJPVH sub-acute's voices were heard by becoming their ambassador. His smiling face and soft spoken demenor was welcoming to the hospital staff, patients, and visitors. Joben was a star at the sub-acute.
Joben became somewhat of a training instructor, allowing students from Career Care Institute to practice taking his vitals, train on the ventilator he used for breathing, and quiz the students on what they learned. Joben attended many of their graduation ceremonies and became life long friends with the students, many of whom would come back to visit him.
In the last few years, Joben kickstarted a foundation called "Walking on Sunshine" with the goal to help those less fortunate and in need. Joben spearheaded successful annual canned food drives during the holidays, donating food to the local food bank and homeless shelter. 
When Joben got a chance to leave the hospital for a few hours, he would go to the movies, or to the beach to see the ocean. He would make time to attend mass at the Padre Serra Church down the street in Camarillo.
Days at the hospital, he would sit and enjoy the weather outside with company. He liked to listen to music on his iPhone, or hear the live band that would come play at the hospital every week. He was often spotted cruising the halls in his wheel chair, chit chatting in patient rooms - to other patients and their visitors, or to girls he thought were pretty (he was a sucker!) He enjoyed being read to, hosting card games, or annual Super Bowl parties. During the last couple of years, Joben used a computer system called a Dynavox that he could operate by just the blink of his eyes. His Dynavox connected him to the internet and helped him communicate with his friends and family via Facebook and Skype. 
Joben and his brother were huge Los Angeles Lakers fans. His room was known for its huge poster of Kobe Bryant and other purple and gold decorations. In 2003, he got a personal invite to visit and meet the Lakers at their practice facility in honor of his late brother.
Joben is survived by his father, Timothy Ritchie, retired USN Seabee; younger sisters, Rachel Alonzo and Michelle Rodriguez; brother-in-laws, Erik Alonzo and Daniel Rodriguez, USN active duty; aunt, Victoria Mauldin "Mama Vicky" of Kentucky; cousin, Vickylynn Mauldin; uncle, James Mauldin; numerous family members in the Philippines, family in Indiana, friends from all over, and caregivers prior and present.
His family would like to thank all the nurses, doctors, clergy, staff members, students, and volunteers at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital for the years of care of our beloved Joben. THANK YOU for all that you have done for Joben and his family - you were the joy in his life! It was you that brought him more happiness and gratitude every day than we can imagine. We know he is the one looking over us now.
Please share your stories and pictures of Joben in the comments below and on his Facebook page. Thank you for your support!!!
Joben... One sweet day, we will see you again.
You are free
A 2011 interview Joben did with Ventura County Star about his life at St. John's Pleasant Valley Hospital
http://www.vcstar.com/news/where-hope-tragedy-and-home-intertwine