Violet Arlene Bare Ridlon

Violet Arlene Bare Ridlon, 95, died Sunday, February 29, 2004 at Westminster Canterbury. She was the widow of Emory Francis Ridlon, who died in 1960. She spent many years volunteering for the Red Cross in the various places she lived, Chippenham Medical Center and her church, Centenary United Methodist. At Westminster Canterbury, where she had been a resident since 1986, she was active on the committee charged with making new residents feel welcome and visiting in the Health Care Center. Mrs. Ridlon was an avid and accomplished bridge player, traveled extensively and as a young woman was a paid soloist in various Richmond churches. She will be remembered for her warm smile, her friendly personality and her sense of humor. She loved people, and she loved to laugh. She is survived by her daughter, Deborah Ridlon Culbertson and her husband, the Reverend Dr. Thomas L. Culbertson; two granddaughters, Meghan Sumner Culbertson and her husband, Adam Mekler and Eliza Ridlon Culbertson and her husband, Arryn Milne; and two great-grandsons, Lukas and Griffin Mekler-Culbertson, all of Baltimore. Also surviving are her brother, Jack Wallace Bare; sister-in-law, Shirley Millar Bare; a niece, Jennifer Bayer Moreno and her husband, Mark; two great-nieces, Meredith and Caroline Moreno of Richmond; and two nephews, Richard Wallace Nuckols and his sons, Christopher Raleigh and William of Richmond and Thomas Addison Nuckols and his sons, Chris and Greg of San Luis Obispo, Calif. Two sisters, Hazel Bare Clay and Cordena Bare Nuckols predeceased her. A graveside service will be held on Friday, March 5 in Forest Lawn Cemetery at 1:30 p.m., and a memorial service at Westminster Canterbury on Friday, March 19 at 1:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Centenary United Methodist Church or Westminster Canterbury. Arrangements by the Central Chapel of Bennett Funeral Home.