Eleanor Ritchie received her earliest instruction in playing piano from her sister Lorene on the home farm near Parkhill where playing and singing around the piano was the focus of many family activities. During her high school years more formal lessons were taken from Donalda Sangster of Parkhill, and diplomas in Grade X Piano and Grade II Theory were earned from the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music. During her years as an elementary school teacher in Sarnia she was always involved in classroom music programs as well as assisting with several operettas. While a stay-at-home mom raising her four children Eleanor dept in touch with music by teaching piano to a small number of students. For a number of years she was a member of the Melodyaires, a community choir under the direction of Pauline Levey, in which she both sang and occasionally substituted as pianist. She has also been a member of Grace United Church choir for many years and is proud to be both a singer and assistant pianist with the Rainbow Singers.