Ann Scobie Ridley

Ann Scobie Ridley passed away on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2022. She was 99 years old. She was a daughter of the late Fred and Frances Scobie. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Claude Julian Ridley, and her daughter, Claudia Ridley Martin.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Fred Scobie Ridley and Elizabeth Herndon Ridley; grandchildren, Maggie Ridley Bush (husband, Christopher Lawrence Bush; and great-grandchild, Parker Elizabeth Bush), Elizabeth Ridley Lifsey (husband, Joseph Willis Lifsey; and great-grandchildren, Walker Ridley Lifsey, and Edward Willis Lifsey), Sydney Parker Ridley, Barry Andrew Bennett (wife, Ashley Moore Bennett; and great-grandchildren, Canaan Ridley Bennett, Isaac Andrew Bennett, Abigail Elizabeth Bennett, and Sarah Ann Bennett) and Leslee Bennett Diaz (husband, Matthew Edward Diaz; and great-grandchildren, Nathan Everett Diaz, Anna Grace Diaz, and Matthew Jacob Diaz).

Ann was one of five children and was born on July 29, 1923, in Atlanta, Georgia. Her father, Fred Scobie, was a member of the U.S. Army during World War I and made the Army a career. As an “Army brat”, Ann grew up in several cities across North and Central America, including Atlanta, Minneapolis, Chicago, and the Panama Canal Zone. The Scobie family moved to Lakeland, Florida in the late 1930s where Ann graduated from Lakeland High School in 1941. After graduation, she worked at LHS, where she met Claude, who was a math teacher at the school. They were married in 1943 in Chico, California where Claude was stationed in the U.S. Air Force.

Always a person for others, Ann was a dedicated wife and mother to Claude, Claudia, and Fred. She returned to school in her mid-30s and earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Florida Southern College. After graduation from Florida Southern, Ann returned to the workforce as an elementary school teacher and, while working full-time, earned a Master of Education degree from Rollins College. She concluded her career in education as the principal of Lake Alfred Elementary School.

Ann’s faith was an important part of her life. When Claude and Ann moved their home to Winter Haven in 1960, she became active in the First Baptist Church and, later as a founding member of Calvary Baptist Church. During the past decade, she was a member of Redeemer Winter Haven where her grandson, Drew Bennett serves as Lead Pastor.

Private interment will be on Wednesday at Roselawn Cemetery in Lakeland.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on December 22 at Redeemer Winter Haven, 1410 Dundee Road, Winter Haven.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider a donation to Heart for Winter Haven (heart4wh.org) an organization dedicated to serving poor and homeless children in Winter Haven and surrounding communities.