Charles R. “Charley” Ridgeway, 84, of Fitzgerald, Georgia, died Saturday, April 19, 2008 at Life Care Center in Fitzgerald.
Funeral services will be held 4 P.M. Monday, April 21, 2008 at The Paulk Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Steve Hood officiating. Mayor Gerald Thompson and Judge Bobby Chasteen will give eulogies. Interment will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 Sunday evening at the funeral home.
Mr. Ridgeway was born July 23, 1923 in Takoma Park, Maryland to the late Charles Russell and Abbie Stelz Ridgeway. Mr. Ridgeway came to Fitzgerald to play with the Pioneers, a professional baseball team. Like other athletes of his generation, Charley had his career interrupted by World War II. He lost four baseball seasons. After serving as a P-51 Fighter Pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps, he was back playing ball. He had played two years in the Florida State League before coming here in 1948. Mr. Ridgeway was a co-owner of WBHB and had managed WSIZ in Ocilla as well. He was dedicated to and dearly loved high school athletics for both Fitzgerald and Irwin County. He was a radio sportscaster for 45 years, earning the title “Voice of the Purple Hurricane”. He was a sports writer for the Herald-Leader and attended the Fitzgerald Church of the Nazarene. He was an active youth mentor and was instrumental in helping young athletes attain college scholarships.
He is survived by his wife of forty years: Berma D. Ridgeway of Fitzgerald; sons: John Ridgeway of Fitzgerald and Michael Ridgeway of St. Marys; grandchildren: Lance Corporal Charles Russell “Russ” (Leslie) Ridgeway, U.S. Marine Corps, Iraq and Chandler Hough of Fitzgerald; one sister: Margaret “Peggy” Lewis of Sun City Center, Florida and extended family: Gail and Martin Hough of Fitzgerald.