Mary B. Ridley left this earth on Christmas Eve at Baptist Health Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky. She was 91 years old. A devoted wife, mother of six, grandmother of eleven, and great-grandmother of eight, Mary will be remembered for her love of family and compassion for others.
Born in Winfield, Kansas, Mary moved to Beaver Dam, Kentucky with her parents and sister as a young girl. There, she met the love of her life, Douglas Ridley. They would have celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary on Christmas Day, 2024.
She graduated from Beaver Dam High School and attended the University of Kentucky. She and Doug raised their six children on the family farm, Pennyroyal Farm in Cobb, Kentucky until 1974. They resided in Marshall County from 1974 to 2001 where they continued to raise their family and then relocated to Paducah, KY in 2001. Mary’s sense of service led to her own creation of a local food bank in Benton, Kentucky. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church, and actively involved in serving both her church and the community throughout her entire life.
Mary’s lifelong interest and talent in sewing led to her opening Country Remnants, a fabric store in Draffenville, KY. She was an avid supporter of the National Quilt Museum located in Paducah, KY. Mary & Doug were honored by the Republican Party when they received the Ed Bradford Memorial Award for their contributions to the Republican Headquarters store location in Paducah as they were instrumental in the daily management and fundraising activities.
Mary is survived by her husband, Doug Ridley; her children, Molly Smith (Rick), Amy Ridley, Bob Ridley (Renee), David Ridley (Nancy), and Sally Kaye (Mitchell); eleven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her son, Matthew David Ridley, her sister, Zelma Smith; her brother, Orville Lee Black; and her parents, Byron and Ella Mae Black.
Expression of sympathy may take the form of donations to Feeding Kentucky, P.O. Box 5522, Frankfort, KY 40602, or to Tunnels To Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306, in honor of her service to others.
Visitation will be held from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at the Life Celebration Center of Filbeck-Cann, 1003 Poplar Street, Benton, KY 42025.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at the Life Celebration Center of Filbeck Cann with Bro. Wayne Hopkins officiating. Burial will follow at Benton Cemetery.
To share a memory or leave a message for the family, please visit her Tribute Wall.