Obituary of Lois A. Ridgway

LOIS ANN RIDGWAY, passed away peacefully on June 25th, 2024 at the age of 83. Born in Philadelphia, Lois was the daughter of Edna and Joseph Conley. Lois and her younger brother Jim grew up in Philadelphia and she attended St. Leonard's Academy on Chestnut Street. Lois was a true Philly girl: her father Joe taught her to drive on the Schuylkill Expressway (stick of course), and after that there was nowhere she couldn't drive. Like most Philadelphia families at the time, the extended Conley family spent most summers "down the shore" a term which Lois quickly divined was not used locally and she preferred to instead use the vernacular reference "the Beach." And it was at the Beach - in Ventnor - that she would meet her future husband, Ted who was a lifeguard on Lafayette Avenue, who probably shouldn't have had a conversation while protecting bathers; and the younger Lois probably shouldn't have sparked a conversation with the lifeguard from Rutgers University. But fate put them together in 1957; and in 1961 they would marry. As a bride, Lois was a vision in an elegant yet subdued ball gown with a lace bodice reminiscent of Grace Kelly's bridal look. Her golden hair was tied in a simple bun that revealed her beauty in a way that no contemporary hair style ever could. Their Beach love affair, which started off with the game of "Twenty Questions" would last 58 Summers until Ted gracefully sailed off in 2020. After living in Carlisle PA while Ted attended law school, they moved to Margate NJ after he successfully passed the Bar. Their family eventually included five children and to find more room they moved to Linwood in the early 1970s, where they would raise their family. The Linwood house served as a home base "supervised" by Lois (who Ted affectionately called "Lobo") for any and all types of mischief and activities involving the all seeing Chimney R, a pool, a pond, fireworks, dogs, cats, roosters, wounded birds, motorcycles, BB guns, water balloons, slingshots, snowballs, forts, turtles, ducks, and even a horse. Even with the demands of raising five kids, she had time to expand her professional pursuits and in 1979 she became a realtor, first with Rafferty Real Estate and later with Balsley Losco in Northfield. Lois earned a BS in Nursing and worked for the Atlantic County Department of Health as a Nursing Supervisor for a number of years, She supported and was active in her community including such causes as Atlantic City Day Nursery, Nor-Lin Kiwanis Club, CCD instructor, Cub Scout Den Mother, Teachers Aide at Holy Spirit and Pi Nu Society. She was a proud annual supporter of The Charity League of Atlantic County and always purchased the Christmas pins for the women in her family. Lobo was active, playing tennis in the summer round robin league with Ted. Even with a bum knee she taught all of her five kids to ski …..and then donned her furry boots for Apres Ski most notably at Pico in Vermont. With an avid appreciation for gardening, she visited gardens everywhere she went: from Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square PA to Filoli Gardens in Woodside CA. Lois became an avid and accomplished SCUBA diver, racking up more than 100 dives from NJ to the Bahamas and The Cayman Islands. Always the supportive partner, she sailed extensively albeit reluctantly because of Ted's love for sailing. Sailing too became a family endeavor with trips to Florida, Maine, Nantucket, San Juan Island (WA), and Chesapeake Bay. She "loved" boating so much that Ted named their final boat the Lady Lobo. They eventually lowered their sails and began cruising, meeting new friends and seeing new ports. She shared her children's triumphs and challenges and when she became a grandmother on two coasts she threw herself into this new phase with gusto, filling her weekends with birthday parties, graduations, new school introductions, sporting events, dance recitals, etc. She and Ted rarely missed a chance to see their grandkids in action, and were infinitely proud of the family they created. Life never paused for Lois, even in her later years following Ted's passing. She often traveled with her son Michael and was always learning something new. She was taking a creative writing course at the time of her passing and in the 30 day stretch immediately preceding her passing she had spent 10 days in Italy with daughter Nancy and a week with Michael in Williamsburg VA. She will be remembered as a loving daughter, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend who was strong-willed, almost to a fault, and who never truly settled down. Her family takes comfort knowing that she is reunited with Ted, likely on a Beach somewhere, enjoying "just two fingers" of wine. Lois is survived by her five children: Nancy Ridgway, Theodore Ridgway Jr., John Ridgway, Michael Ridgway and Thomas Ridgway; 10 grandchildren: Sarah Pollock, Jimmy Camey, Liam Camey, Brooke Ridgway, Georgia Ridgway, Amelia Ridgway, Samantha Camey, Evan Ridgway, Dylan Ridgway, Sofia Ridgway, and two great grandchildren: Wyatt Pollock and Jackson Pollock. Lois is also survived by her son-in-law Jim Camey, daughters-in-law Ellena Ochoa, Julie Vollmer Ridgway and Dawn Ridgway. A Mass of Christian Burial for Lois Ann Ridgway will be Celebrated 11:00 am Saturday, July 20, 2024 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church 724 Maple Avenue, Linwood, NJ 08221.In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to: Nor-Lin Kiwanis PO Box 294, Linwood, NJ 08221 or to the Atlantic City Day Nursery, 101 North Boston Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401. Arrangements by the Gormley Funeral Home LLC/AC (gormleyfuneralhomellc.com).