Don (Robinson) Ridgley

Ancestors

Descendants

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Biography

This profile is part of the Robinson Name Study.

Donald Arthur (Robinson) Ridgley was born on 8 Oct 1919 in Kalispell, Montana, son of Arthur George Robinson (1879 - ~1970) and Myrtle Florette (Bassford) Hildenbrandt (1898 - 1965).^[1]

His siblings were:

1. Kenneth Orie Ridgley MD (1924 - 1989)
2. Dorothea May Jean (Ridgley) Busby (1926 - 1987)
3. Harry Dean Ridgley DDS (1929 - 2015)

In the 1920 census Donald was the son of Arthur G Robinson in Kalispell, Flathead, Montana, United States.^[2]

Sometime before 1922, his mother Myrtle and Arthur were divorced. At some point afterward she married Orie Otis Ridgley, who owned a diner in Portland, Oregon. Later the family moved to Marshfield (now Coos Bay), Oregon, where his stepfather owned and operated a hotel and restaurant. (At some point his mother changed Don's last name from Robinson to Ridgley and annotated his birth certificate to note the fact that "he as been know as Ridgley since he was 3". It is unknown if Orie formally adopted Don.)

In the 1930 census Donald (age 10) was the [step]son of Orie O Ridgley in Spokane, Spokane, Washington, United States.^[3]

In the 1940 census Donald (age 20) was the single [step]son of Orie Ridgley in Muckleshoot Election Precinct, King, Washington, United States.^[4]

Don attended Auburn Adventist Academy in Auburn, Washington, working his way through school in the academy's furniture factory.

When World War II started, he was drafted. He served in the Signal Corps and the Medical Corps and was ultimately stationed in Pensacola, Florida, where he drove ambulance and acted as a company clerk in the 555th Infantry. Shortly before his discharge he married Dorothy Jones in Portland, Oregon, on 25 September 1945. Their children were:

1. Lawrence Edwin Ridgley
2. Lee Ridgley (1954-2023)
3. Susan Aldene Ridgley

After his discharge, Don and Dorothy resided in the Los Angeles, California, area where they both worked at White Memorial Hospital. In 1949 their first child, Lawrence was born. Shortly after his birth they re-located to Loma Linda, California, and purchased a duplex located at 353 San Lucas Drive. Don began working for the College of Medical Evangelists (later Loma Linda University) in the electrical department. Dorothy soon resumed her nursing career at the Loma Linda Sanitarium (now Loma Linda University Hospital). Ultimately, the duplex became too small for the growing family and they began remodeling the existing garage into a larger home for the family. In 1954 son Leland was born, the new house was finished and both duplexes were rented-out.

In the 1950 census Donald (age 30), Electrician, was the married son of John Hildenbrandt in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States.^[5] John Hildenbrandt was the third wife of Myrtle Florette Bassford-Robinson-Ridgley-Hildenbrandt and was Donald Ridgley's step-father. Those who were living in the Hildenbrandt household at that time were as follows:

Sometime in the mid-1950's, Don lost his job at CME and decided to take a training class for a First-Class FCC Radiotelephone license, which he used to obtain a position with KFMU-FM in Glendale, California. He spent several years commuting from home in Loma Linda to Glendale, staying there during the week, coming home on Friday and returning to work Saturday night. Along with being Chief Engineer he hosted the "Night Owl" program where he played music from midnight to 6:00am.

Around 1958-59 he became involved with the newly-purchased KDUO-FM radio station in San Bernardino, California, becoming its Chief Engineer. When the station was sold, he accepted an offer in late 1960 as head of Electrical/Electronics at the new Shawnee-Mission Hospital and Health Center in Overland Park, Kansas. In November of 1960 their daughter Susan was added to the family.

In the Spring of 1967 Don accepted a call to work at St. Helena Hospital and Health Center in Sanitarium (now Deer Park), California, as head of the new Electronics Department. After re-locating to the area Dorothy resumed here nursing career at the Hospital.

The 1980's found Don working in the Pacific Union College (Angwin, CA) Electronics department until he decided to return to work at Harris Pine Mills, the same factory that he worked at during his years at Auburn Academy.

After a fall that forced his retirement they moved to Bonner's Ferry, Idaho, where, with the help of Leland, they built their retirement home. In 2007, due to poor health, they sold their retirement home and moved to Albany, Oregon, to be near their son Larry.

Don passed away suddenly, but peacefully, at their home on 16 Mar 2008. His body was cremated and ashes spread at sea off of the Oregon coast near Depot Bay.^[6][7]

Military Enlistment Information

Event Type: Military Service^[8]
Event Date: 01 Jul 1942
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law.
Event Place: Tacoma, Washington, United States
Citizenship Status: Citizen
Education Level: 4 years of high school
Civilian Occupation: Semiskilled occupations in manufacture of electrical machinery and accessories, n.e.c.
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Military Rank: Private
Army Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Army Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men)
Source Reference: Civil Life
Serial Number: 39178897
Affiliate Publication Title: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946
Affiliate ARC Identifier: 1263923
Box Film Number: 14026.168

Sources

1. ↑ Birth: "Montana, Flathead County Records, 1871-2007" citing Page: 234; Digital film/folder number: 004179570; Image number: 2297 FamilySearch Record: QLRN-69W8 (accessed 3 March 2024) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-99XT-7R6M Donald Arthur Robinson born on 8 Oct 1919, son of Arthur George Robinson & Myrtle Bassford, in Kalispell, Flathead, Montana, United States.
2. ↑ 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920" citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Line: 68; Digital film/folder number: 004966350; FHL microfilm: 1820971; Image number: 162; Sheet number: 10; Sheet letter: B; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01960-6 FamilySearch Record: M83G-TKW (accessed 3 March 2024) FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRXL-9FL Donald A Robinson (0), single son, in household of Arthur G Robinson (40) in Kalispell, Flathead, Montana, United States. Born in Montana.
3. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930" citing Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T626; Line: 22; Digital film/folder number: 004955371; FHL microfilm: 2342249; Image number: 900; Sheet number: 16; Sheet letter: A; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N03827-7 FamilySearch Record: XCQ7-QGD (accessed 3 March 2024) FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RCF-DRQ Donald A Ridgley (10), single [step]son, in household of Orie O Ridgley (52) in Spokane, Spokane, Washington, United States. Born in Montana.
4. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940" citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 19; Digital film/folder number: 005460337; Image number: 634; Sheet number: 6; Sheet letter: A FamilySearch Record: K99R-KNS (accessed 3 March 2024) FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-89MB-BDXV Donald Ridgley (20), single [step]son, in household of Orie Ridgley (64) in Muckleshoot Election Precinct, King, Washington, United States. Born in Montana.
5. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census" citing Page: 2; Line: 18; Digital film/folder number: 108824424; Image number: 3 FamilySearch Record: 6XGG-TSTB (accessed 3 March 2024) FamilySearch Image: 3QHN-PQH7-1SSN-V Donald Ridgley (30), married son, Electrician, in household of John Hildenbrandt (53) in Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States. Born in Montana.
6. ↑ Cremation & Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247515652/donald_arthur-(robinson)_ridgley: accessed March 3, 2024), memorial page for Donald Arthur (Robinson) Ridgley (8 Oct 1918–16 Mar 2008), Find a Grave Memorial ID 247515652; Cremated; Maintained by Larry Ridgley (contributor 51049751).
7. ↑ Death: "United States Social Security Death Index" citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing) FamilySearch Record: JBDT-3T1 (accessed 3 March 2024) Donald Arthur Ridgley death 16 Mar 2008 (born 8 Oct 1919) residing in Albany, Linn, Oregon.
8. ↑ US World War II Army Enlistment Records, The National Archives: Access to Archival Databases (AAD) ([1]: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002); NARA NAID 126323, National Archives at College Park, Maryland.

• Personal knowledge of Larry Ridgley.
• FamilySearch Person: LBL5-LBT