Emily Eva Reynolds Ridgway, 86, of Eatonton, Ga., passed away peacefully at Ogeechee Area Hospice on October 16, 2023.

She was the daughter of Thurmond Reynolds and Eva Glenn.

She was also preceded in death by her brothers, Madison Reynolds and Marcus Reynolds.

Emily Ridgway is survived by her three children, Hugh Davis Ridgway III (Sara Ann) of Statesboro, Georgia; William Madison Ridgway of Eatonton, Georgia; and Emily Pamela Ridgway of Wayne, Pennsylvania. Other surviving relatives include her four grandchildren, William Chad Ridgway, Sara Emily Ridgway-Jones, Kaitlynn Standford and Brooks Williams; along with six great-grandchildren and three nephews, three nieces and their families.

Emily Ridgway was born in Cross City, Florida, August 27, 1937, and was raised in Tampa, Florida, and Pineview, Georgia, where she graduated from Pineview High School, and later attended Mercer University, where she met and married Hugh Davis Ridgway Jr.

Upon her husband entering the United States Navy, Emily and her young family was stationed in Japan and Hawaii.

After discharge from the Navy, the family returned to Eatonton, Georgia.

Emily raised her three children and worked as an administrative assistant at the First United Methodist Church and Dairyman, Inc. She later served as the human resource director at Haband, Inc., until her retirement in 2006.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 20, 2023, at First United Methodist Church at 3 p.m.

The family will receive friends from 2 to 3 p.m. with the service immediately following at the church. Interment will be at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church Pineview, Georgia, on Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts be made to Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box 531, Statesboro, Georgia 30459.

Statesboro Herald, October 19, 2023

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