Gerald Ridley

Gerald F. ?Jerry? Ridley, 83, of Mission Texas, formerly of Washington, died Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, in his home.

A graveside service and interment with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in the Elm Grove cemetery in Washington. The family will receive friends at the Washington Golf and Country Club following the service. Memorials can be made to the Iowa Varsity Club or IPH Hospice Care. Jones and Eden Funeral Home is assisting with the arrangements.

Ridley was born March 6, 1933, in Brookfield, Illinois, the son of DeElda and Frank Ridley. He graduated from Riverside/Brookfield High School in 1951 and continued his education at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1955. He married Judy Arthur in December 1955. They later divorced.

While attending the University of Iowa, he was a member of the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball team and won the Big Ten Championship his senior year. The Hawkeyes played in the NCAA FInal Four Championship games in 1954 and 1955. He continued to be an avid Iowa Hawkeyes fan his entire life. He was a member of the Phi Ka Alpha Fraternity. He was active in ROTC during college and joined the Air Force following graduation. He was honorably discharged as a captain.

He was a salesman his entire working career. Following military service, he worked for his father-in-law Bob Arthur at the Washington Concrete Company. He was the sales manager for Fansteel Manufacturing Company (Washington Mfg. Co.) until his retirement. There he met and married his second wife, Becky Waters.

Golf was always a very important part of his life, he was a member of the Washington Golf and Country Club and served on the board. He was also a member of the YMCA, the Y?s Men, Rotary, and the Washington Ambassadors. He enjoyed sales, traveling, meeting people, and entertaining. After retirement He and his wife enjoyed wintering in Florida and Texas, eventually becoming fulltime residents of Texas.

Surviving are his wife; four sons, Randy R. Ridley and wife Susan of Vienna, Virginia, Scott F. Ridley of Frederick, Maryland, Eric J. Ridley and wife Gloria of Bedford, Pennsylvania, and Matthew Ridley and wife Michelle of Gaithersburg, Maryland; a stepdaughter, Nanette (Scheeler ) Robinson of Rochester, Minnesota; four grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his ex-wife; and the majority of his immediate family.