Joe S. Ritenour, accomplished attorney, real estate developer, entrepreneur, and life-long resident of Loudoun County, passed away on June 7, 2013, at the age of 62. Born and raised in Leesburg, he was the son of Lucius and Helen Ritenour. Mr. Ritenour attended Loudoun County High School. He completed his undergraduate work at Hampden Syndey College, graduating magna cum laude in 1972 with a double major in philosophy and political science. He received his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Virginia's School of Law in 1976.

Upon graduating law school, Mr. Ritenour established his own law firm in Leesburg, eventually merging his practice to form the law offices of Ritenour Paice Mougin-Boal & Wexton. He tirelessly served the legal needs of the community, focusing primarily on criminal law, real estate, business law and personal injury. One of his proudest achievements was serving as co-counsel in the trial of Commonwealth v. Julian wherein the Virginia death penalty was declared unconstitutional. He was very involved in real estate development and restoration, both private and commercial. His most recent restoration project was the conversion of the historic Laurel Brigade Inn into professional offices where he currently housed his practice. Mr. Ritenour's interests were wide-ranging and varied, and included the ownership of two local restaurants, a title company, and a record company. He was a music, sports, and numismatic enthusiast. He was an avid reader and enjoyed writing both factual and intellectual works as well as motivational and humorous anecdotes.

Mr. Ritenour steadfastly promoted fairness and integrity in the legal system, passionately and empathetically advocating for prominent and common people alike. He was a generous and kindhearted human being, a loyal friend, and a devoted, proud, and adoring father, and husband. He was an intellect who continued to challenge and amaze all those he encountered. His stories and legacy will be carried on by his survivors: wife of 38 years, Alvena, son Michael and daughter-in-law Taylor, and daughter Kristen, and his multitude of colleagues and friends.

Family will receive friends at the Leesburg United Methodist, 107 W. Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176 on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Services are scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at the Leesburg United Methodist. Burial in Union Cemetery.

Following all services, a Celebration of Life will be held at the Laurel Brigade Inn, 20 W. Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia 20176.

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting a memorial donation be made in Joe's honor to the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation. Please make checks out to the Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma Research Foundation and mail to the office of Ritenour Paice Mougin-Boal & Wexton, 20 W. Market St., Leesburg, VA 20176.

A summary of Mr. Ritenour's professional life is as follows:

Joe Ritenour was a life-long resident of Loudoun County. He was born and raised in Leesburg and attended Loudoun County High School. Mr. Ritenour attended Hampden Sydney College on the Moomaw Leadership Award. He graduated in three years, magna cum laude, in 1972 with a double major in Political Science and Philosophy. In 1976, he graduated from the University of Virginia's School of Law with a Juris Doctorate degree.

Upon graduating law school, Mr. Ritenour established his own law firm in Leesburg. Since that date, Mr. Ritenour has served the legal needs of the community, focusing primarily on criminal law, real estate, business law and personal injury. In his first year of practice, Mr. Ritenour served as co-counsel in the rape-murder trial of Commonwealth v. Julian, wherein the Virginia death penalty was declared unconstitutional. In 1986, Mr. Ritenour and his former partner, Dan Travostino, represented the widowed family of a Loudoun County man in a civil jury trial wherein the largest wrongful death verdict in the previous history of Loudoun County was rendered. In the early 1990's, he represented the Virginia Toll Road Corporation in its efforts to extend Route 267 from Dulles Airport to Leesburg, a landmark private sector project which was successfully completed in September of 1995.

In May of 1990, at the age of thirty-nine, Mr. Ritenour was named by New Dominion Magazine one of the 50 most powerful people in Northern Virginia. On several recent occasions, he has been named in Leesburg Today's "Best of....." poll as the Best Criminal Lawyer in the area. In 2005, Mr. Ritenour merged his law office with the firm of Paice & Mougin-Boal. He continues to represent the interest of citizens in Northern Virginia in both the state and federal courts.

In addition to practicing law, Mr. Ritenour has been very involved in real estate development - both public and private. He previously served on the County Planning Commission where he chaired the Zoning and the Comprehensive Planning Committees. In such capacities, he was responsible for the initial drafts of both the County Comprehensive plan and the revised County Zoning Ordinance.

In the private sector, Mr. Ritenour has been an extremely active participant in real estate development in the Northern Virginia area. Over the past 35 years, he has been involved, either in an individual capacity, as an agent, or as legal counsel, in the purchase and settlement of over 5,000 real estate contracts in Virginia and elsewhere. His renovation projects in Leesburg include his first office at 107 East Market Street, the Courthouse Square Office Condominiums, the Southern Exchange retail center also on East Market (Route 7), and the total conversion of the former 22,000 square foot bowling alley on Catoctin Circle into professional offices, currently occupied by the Loudoun County Sheriff's Department. In the late 1980's, Mr. Ritenour purchased the 50,000 square foot Market Station retail/office complex. While he sold the complex in the mid-1990's, he maintained his offices there until 2004.

As principal designer and managing partner, Mr. Ritenour was responsible for the successful rehabilitation and conversion to condominiums of the 89-unit Cavalier Arms and the 232-unit Country Club Green apartment complexes. Among his land development ventures are quality rural subdivisions including estate-type properties such as Mosby's Crossing, a 229-acre community in the Middleburg hunt country of Western Loudoun County.

With several other initial investors, Mr. Ritenour launched Leesburg Today which remains a thriving local newspaper.

Mr. Ritenour also owns the record label, Marquis Records, and was responsible for producing and distributing albums by guitarist Michael Fath and the band YNOT? For many years he also owned and operated the Village Restaurant and Papa John's/Scoopers, both successful Leesburg Restaurants.

The founder of Allied Professionals Realty and Development Company (t/a Cavalier Realty), as well as Courthouse Square Title Insurance Agency, and East Coast Title, Mr. Ritenour is currently a principal in Prosperity Title in Leesburg. He has also served as a varsity basketball coach and Board Member at Notre Dame Academy in Middleburg, Virginia.

Mr. Ritenour was the principal investor in Marquis Investment Group, LLC, which in December 2003 acquired the Laurel Brigade Inn, a 250 year old historic landmark in downtown Leesburg. The Laurel Brigade has been historically restored, renovated and converted to professional offices, including the Law offices of Ritenour Paice Mougin-Boal & Wexton and Prosperity Title.