Mrs. Elsie Louise Ridgley

Elsie Lousie Ridgley, age 89, of West Friendship, passed away on Sunday, March 3, 2024 at Howard County General Hospital. Elsie was born on September 24, 1934 in West Friendship where she would live a majority of her life. Her parents William and Elsie Pickett raised 6 children William, Randolph, Mildred, Elsie, Sally, and Margaret. They would work together on their farm, where Elsie would walk to the barn in the morning with her sisters, dodge the onery bull to gather eggs, and take the long walk to Sunday School, the store, and the bank. She would invariably find herself in trouble on any given day for playing in the creek. The days on the farm were reminisced about often. She met the love of her life, Warren Leroy Ridgley, while working at the Hoods Mill Canning Factory. During their courting days, Warren would often drive Elsie and her sisters to get water from the spring house so they wouldn’t have to carry it. They would be married at the Parsonage at St. James Church, on September 27, 1952. Being 17 at the time, they had to wait 3 days after her 18th birthday to tie the knot. This September they would have been married 72 years. In 1960 they built a house and made a home on Rover Mill Road in West Friendship. They would live there together for 64 years. They would go on to have 3 children, Timothy Douglas, Linda Louise, and Gary Warren. Their family too would be a farming family and would work on the Ridgley Family dairy farm. Elsie was a homemaker and kept a meticulously clean and organized home. She was a collector of memories and loved photos and mementos that reminded her of her loved ones. In her lifetime she cared for and cherished her husband, children, peacocks, Cricket the Pepsi drinking dog, her mother and father in-law, birds (Dumbo and Queenie), Doodle her grand-dog, and her family near and far. She enjoyed blue grass/country music and enjoyed the days she and Warren spent at Sunset Park, Opryland, and Dollywood. If you wanted to find her, she would most likely be outside tending to her flowers, fussing at the herds of deer, or mowing the grass and she’d always be happy that you stopped by. Whether you called her Elsie, Chubby, Mom, or Mama, she lived a full life and left a legacy of love and memories that won’t be forgotten. Elsie was predeceased by siblings, William Pickett, Randolph Pickett, Mildred Miller, Sally Gatlin; her dear family Uncle Earl Pickett, Aunt Bessie Pickett, and Cousin Doris Pickett; grandchildren Melissa N. Pattison and Joshua S. Pattison. She is survived by her husband Warren Leroy Ridgley; children, Timothy D. Ridgley Sr and wife Shawn Ridgley, Linda L. Ridgley, Gary W. Ridgley and wife Dorene Ridgley; sister Margaret West, grandchildren, Timothy D. Ridgley Jr, Michelle L. Joy, Thomas H. Ridgley, Holly L. Ridgley, S.C. Kendall Ridgley, Travis L. Hall, Jason L. Hall, and Christine M. Ridgley; great grandchildren, Jacob Jones, Mara Jones, Nick Ridgley, Nathan Ridgley, Ava Ridgley, Lucas Ridgley, Colin Ridgley, Garrett Hall, Audrey Hall, Jillian Sutton, Owen Hall, Alanah Nicole; great-great grandchildren, Jayce K. Jones and Kyler E. Jones; and will be missed by numerous nieces and nephews. A private ceremony for the family will be held at Haight Funeral Home & Chapel at their convenience and Elsie will be laid to rest at Crestlawn Cemetery.

Mrs. Elsie Louise Ridgley

September 24, 1934 - March 3, 2024