Ernest Raymond Shortridge

Ernest Raymond Shortridge, a third generation Arizonan, passed away September 3, 2004. Ernie was born at Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix on January 14, 1937, the oldest son of Ernest Raymond and Frances Dickson Shortridge and spent his early childhood in Hayden, Arizona. He attended grade school in Bremerton and Olympia, Washington and graduated from Phoenix Union High School in 1955. He was very active in the Boy Scouts of America at all levels and also excelled on the swim team while in Olympia, Washington. Ernie worked at White Sands Proving Ground and Airesearch following high school graduation and married Beverly Taylor in Phoenix in 1957. Ernie attended Arizona State University from 1957 to 1960, majoring in Architecture. He also attended classes at the Frank Lloyd Wright Institute of Architecture. Ernie was always very creative, and began actively working to obtain patents on new inventions while still in his early twenties. His ingenious projects ranged from flying saucers, to improved building design materials, to novel transportation devices. Ernie began his first business, Western Environmental Service, in 1971 and immediately began developing and marketing mechanical instruments for measuring air flow in buildings. Shortridge Instruments, Inc., was incorporated in 1979, and Ernie began designing very innovative, electronic, digital readout instruments for measuring air flow and velocity. These instruments very quickly became the standard throughout the industry. Ernie was blessed with a happy, sunshiny disposition from early infancy. He was a generous, warmhearted child, who grew into a caring, compassionate man with an endearing personality, and a delightfully wry sense of humor. He remained a person of integrity, sensitivity, and true concern for the welfare of others throughout his life. He possessed a very strong character and a very strong work ethic, and tried to instill the value of this work ethic in everyone he encountered. Ernie loved his family, art, architecture, photography and collecting American Indian art. He was a very talented artist and photographer. He also had a deep love for babies, puppies and other small creatures and always found great delight in holding and caring for babies. Ernie faced Parkinson's Disease with the same remarkable courage, grace and wit with which he had always faced earlier difficulties. Ernie is preceded in death by his father Ernest Raymond Shortridge Junior and his uncles, Donald and Harold Shortridge. Ernie is survived by his mother, Frances Capener, his wife of 47 years, Beverly, their children, Lynne (Ron) Tornell, Randall Shortridge and Kimberley (Mark) Christopher, their grandchildren, Adrianna, Emily, Kelvin, Andrew and Kelly, his brother Lewis (Annette) Shortridge and a large extended family. A Memorial Service will be held at Chaparral Christian Church, 6451 East Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ on Saturday, September 18th at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Ernie's honor may be made to The
National Parkinson Foundation, 1501 NW 9th Ave. Bob Hope Road Miami, Florida 33136-1494 or to The Mayo Clinic Development Office, 13400 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, AZ 85259. Arrangements entrusted to Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary.