Buck Ridgeway RIP

[Marie LaFreniere]

Charles E. "Buck" Ridgeway, Jr.

Mar 19, 1943 - Jun 1, 2016

Services for Mr. Ridgeway will be scheduled at a later date in the Battle Creek area and on Beaver Island. Contributions may be given in his memory to help support the Beaver Island Rural Health Center. Checks, made payable to the â??Charlevoix County Community Foundation,â?￾ with BIRHC Endowment on the memo line, can be sent to the Charlevoix County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 718, East Jordan, MI 49727. Contributions can also be made online at www.c3f.org. For information about the Health Center and the services they provide to the community, please visit www.biruralhealth.org.

Charles (Buck) Ridgeway 73, of Beaver Island died on Wednesday, June 1, 2016 at the Indiana University Health Center in Indianapolis, IN.

Buck was born on March 19, 1943 in Centerfield, OH to Charles and Wynona (Everman) Ridgeway. He graduated from Richland High School in 1961, Grand Valley State University in 1969, and Western Michigan University in 1976. On September 4, 1964 he married Mary Ann Hazeleger in Kalamazoo, MI.

Buck was a 6th grade teacher for Athens Area Schools for 30 years, and he retired in 1997. He also worked for the Erie Lackawana Railroad and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Buck was an avid golfer and enjoyed following all of his grandchildrenâ??s sports and school activities. He announced sporting events for Athens High School, coached several sports and was a train enthusiast. In his retirement Buck volunteered his time to organize golf leagues and tournaments for the Beaver Island Golf Course

He is survived by his wife of 51 years Mary Ann Ridgeway of Beaver Island; children Chuck (Danine) Ridgeway of Indianapolis, IN and Rob (Lisa) Ridgeway of Battle Creek, MI; grandchildren, Tyler and Brock Ridgeway of Homer, MI, Emily and Cecilia Ridgeway of Indianapolis, IN; sister, Margaret (Marvin) Miller; brother-in-law Dirk Hazeleger, and sister-in-law Susan Hazeleger. He was preceded in death by his parents, and mother and father-in-laws Dick and Henrietta (Van Maaren) Hazeleger.

[BI Pirate]

I am saddened that Beaver Island loses yet another gentle man. "Buck" will be missed by all who knew him as a friend and there are many. Buck was not a boat person. He would turn green just going to the dock to meet arriving guests, so I will not salute his passing with a sailing epitaph but instead wish him eternal membership in the very inclusive golf club, Heavenly Links. His long time golfing partner, Howard, I know will surely put in a good word for him.
Play on Buck, play on.

[James Bakker]

Well said.