Dr. Theodore (Ted) Ronald Ridgeway

Dr. Theodore Ronald (Ted) Ridgeway,

Ted passed away on Monday, April 20th at Quiet Oaks Health Care Center in Crawford, Ga. He was born in Charleston, S. C., on October 27, 1928, the 10th of eleven children and two cousins that his parents took in and raised he considered his brothers.  Ted was predeceased by his parents, all of his siblings, and the mother of his two boys, Ellen Sue Free Ridgeway.

He is survived by his wife Jane B. Ridgeway and the family joined together 48 years ago. Charles Boyce (Carol) Hogan,  Paul Michael (Sheila) Ridgeway, William Kelly (Denise) Ridgeway, and Sim Edward (Vickie) Hogan II.  There are nine grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Ted was instilled with the idea of “Being all you can be”. He loved his mother, she called him Ronnie” and he became “Ted” when he went in the service.  His mother was a cofounder of Cherokee Methodist Church in North Charleston, S.C. and the Ridgeway “tribe” was always in attendance.

He served with four branches of military services.  In 1944 at age 15, he tried to join the Navy.  The Navy turned him down because of his young age so he joined the Merchant Marines and traveled to Morocco and Southern France.  He returned to the states and finished Chicora High School 3 years later.  He then joined the Naval Reserves serving 2.5 years on active duty.  He was released early from the Navy to attend the University of Carolina on a boxing scholarship.  Ted was a Golden Glove Champion in high school and the Navy.  However, the Korean War started and he joined the Air Force and spent thirteen months in Korea during 1951 – 1952.  He served as a member of a tactical Air Control party stationed on the front line directing air support against enemy targets.  He was attached to various Army Units while being in the Air Force.  While in North Korea, he was wounded by an artillery shell concussion that left him totally deaf in his left ear and with a 50% loss in his right ear.  This earned him a Purple Heart and medical discharge.  The VA counselors recommended that he go to UGA Forestry School.  While there he became interested in research.  He worked with his major professor to develop the tranquilizer dart gun now being used all over the world in capturing wild animals.  He graduated from the School of Forestry with a B.S.  Ted then attended the School of Veterinary Medicine graduating in 1961 with his DVM.   While attending UGA he was active in the Veterans Club, the Demosthenian Literary Society, and the Blue Key National Honor Society.   Ted opened an animal clinic in Athens on Baxter Street and served small and large animals. Willowood on Eastside became his next Clinic and then he moved to Oglethorpe County.  Always active in Community affairs he, Jack & Florence Sims, Dot, and Cline Wheless formed the Oglethorpe Chamber of Commerce and secured the Crawford Depot for the organization.  He closed his clinic in Lexington and went with the USDA as a Poultry Inspector. When he retired from USDA in 1992 he established a Mobile Veterinary Service and operated that until his health declined.

Ted was a member of Lexington Baptist Church.  He loved Miss Woods SS Class and working with the Good News Club as long as his health permitted. He had a passion for the outdoors and loved hunting and fishing, especially trout fishing.

A private family graveside service will be held at Athens Memory Gardens on April 24th. The family will hold a memorial service and a celebration of Ted’s life at a future time to be announced.

In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to MOAS (Madison Oglethorpe Animal Shelter at 1888 Colbert Danielsville Rd., Danielsville, GA 30633) or a charity of choice.

Lord and Stephens East, Athens, GA  is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com