Linda Ellen Ridley

Linda Ellen Ridley, of Baker, Okla., passed away Jan. 15, 2023, at the age of 71 in Pensacola, Fla.

Linda was born Jan. 28, 1951 in Liberal, Kansas, the daughter of Omaha S. and Edith Leona Landess. She attended school at Eureka High School until its closure, then transferred and graduated from Hooker High School in 1969. She then attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Okla. While attending college, she worked at Tri-County Electric. She graduated from college with her bachelor’s degree in 1974.

After graduating, Linda began her professional career with the Hitch Family in Guymon, Oklahoma, working as the administrative assistant to Paul and Ladd Hitch.

Upon her marriage to Francis Edward Herron, she moved to Liberal and began a career in banking in July of 1983 at Citizens State Bank. Throughout her 32 years at Citizens State Bank, which eventually became Sunflower Bank, Linda held various positions such as administrative assistant, new account supervisor, customer service manager, and vice president.

In addition to her banking, Linda was a very active member of her community. She joined the Liberal Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors in 1991 and was named Ambassador of the Year in 1994. She was a member of the Liberal Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for 13 years and served as president of the board in 2004. She was a 1996 graduate of Leadership Liberal. She joined the Liberal Rotary Club in 2004, served as president of the club in 2009, and became a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International in 2011. In 2013, she was honored as one the Liberal Chamber of Commerce “Men and Women of Distinction”.

In 1990, Linda relocated and built a home on her family farm one mile north of Baker, Oklahoma, where she resided the majority of her life. She was united in marriage to her husband James Lee Ridley on November 11, 1995.

Linda enjoyed horseback riding, gardening, baking, hosting gatherings, spending time with her granddaughters, and life on her farm in the Oklahoma Panhandle. She took part in many community events, including the Christmas Tour of Homes in 2012. Upon her retirement in 2015, Linda devoted her time to writing grants for her church, Baker United Methodist Church, and for the Baker Volunteer Fire Department.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and her husband, James Lee Ridley.

She is survived by her daughter, Dallas and Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Steven Broussard of Pensacola, Fla.; grandchildren Caroline and Charlotte Broussard of Pensacola, Fla.; brother, Frank (Debbie) Copeland of Tyrone, Okla.; sister, Jean Shaw of Wichita; and brother, Randy (Vickie) Landess of Laverne, Okla.

• A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 17, 2023 at 10 a.m. at the Baker United Methodist Church in Baker, Okla.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Baker United Methodist Church or the Baker Volunteer Fire Department.