Walter Eugene Ridgeway

Walter Eugene Ridgeway, 84, of Meadville, passed away Monday, February 8, 2016 at UPMC Hamot, Erie following a sudden illness.

He was born June 13, 1931 in Meadville, a son of Donald William and Ethel Elizabeth Hollabaugh Ridgeway.  He married Patricia McKay August 26, 1950 and she survives.

Walter was a proud U.S. Marine Corps Veteran serving stateside and in Puerto Rico from 1948 to 1952.  He worked in maintenance at Channellock for 33 years and subsequently worked for Hazlett Tree Service.

Walter was an avid sports enthusiast and enjoyed going to parades.  He was a member of Cochranton Volunteer Fire Dept. Station 4 where he enjoyed daily stops for popcorn and root beer, Thursday night wings and teasing the wait staff.  He especially loved time spent with his grandchildren.

Survivors, in addition to his loving wife Patricia of 65 years, include six children, Vickie Bleasdale of Guys Mills, Kimberley Foust of Conneaut Lake, Scott Ridgeway and his wife Marcy of Oil City, Mark Ridgeway and his wife Brenda of Conneaut Lake, Doug (Dug) Ridgeway of Carlton, and Kelli Galbraith and her husband Ryan of Meadville; twelve grandchildren; eleven great-grandchildren; a sister, Margaret Henry and her husband James of Meadville; two brothers, Edward Ridgeway and his wife Betty Jo of Meadville and Ardean Ridgeway and his wife Cindy of Saegertown; five sisters-in-law, Katherine Ridgeway of Lakeland, FL, Ruth Ridgeway of Phoenix, AZ, Kathy Ridgeway of Meadville, Elma Ridgeway of Meadville, and Linda Kougher and her husband Lewis of Meadville; several nieces and nephews, and his beloved dog, Yoda.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sons-in-law, Paul Bleasdale and Harry Foust; four brothers, Glenn, Donald, Daryl, and David Ridgeway; a sister, Carol Moffit and her husband Michael; and three nephews, James and Brett Ridgeway and Michael Moffit, Jr.

Calling hours will be Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut St., Meadville.

The funeral service will be Friday at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home with Pastor Rodney Johnson of Church of the Nazarene, Meadville officiating.

Interment will be in Roselawn Memorial Gardens with military honors provided by Cochranton American Legion Post 836.

Memorials may be made to the Pittsburgh V.A. Hospital, University Drive C, Pittsburgh, PA 15240 or the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250.