Charles Wilson Ridgeway Sr.

A celebration of life for Charles "Chuck" Wilson Ridgeway Sr., 81, a Sparks resident for the past two years, will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at 4625 Canyon Drive in Reno.

Mr. Ridgeway died Oct. 8, 2004, at home. He was born Sept. 17, 1923, in Quapaw, Okla., to Eugene and Mable Ridgeway. He grew up in Kansas, Missouri and Oregon.

He married Dorothy Wakeman May 2, 1945, in San Jose, Calif.

Before moving to Sparks, he lived in Greenville, Calif., and Kings Beach.

Mr. Ridgeway also lived in Novato, Calif., where he was co-owner of A&R Body Shop. He later worked for the Novato Fire District as a purchasing agent and moved up to the rank of captain.

He was an officer in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans and assistant scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America. After relocating to Kings Beach, he was assistant chief, chief and retired from the North Tahoe Fire Protection District. He enjoyed camping, fishing and traveling in his RV.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army in June 1932, and served in the European Theatre and the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded a Purple Heart, good- conduct medal, European African, Middle Eastern Theatre ribbon and a battle star. He was honorably discharged in October 1944.

He was preceded in death by his mother, brother and four sisters.

Among his survivors are his wife of 59 years of Sparks; daughter, Norma Conway of Carson City; son, Charles Jr. of Windsor, Calif.; grandchildren Dennis Conway and Danielle Conway, both of Carson City, Diane Strand of Reno, Wendy Hummel of Sparks and Cliff Ridgeway of Windsor; sister, Ruby Kidder of Lake Havasu, Ariz.; eight great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary's Hospice.

John Sparks Memorial Cremation & Burial Society is in charge of arrangements.