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Obituary of Judith Marilyn Riddell
June 23, 1943 - Glace Bay, Nova Scotia
January 11, 2024 - Calgary, Alberta
On Thursday, January 11, 2024, Judie (Judith) Riddell, aged 80, passed away peacefully at Peter Lougheed Hospital, surrounded by her loved ones.
Judie will be lovingly remembered by her cherished children and their spouses, Barbara (Matt) Craven, Christine (Dean Scott), and Gerry (Svetlana Riddell); her beloved grandchildren, Katie, Will, Alison, Lucas, and Astra; her sister, Lorraine Christensen, and her many friends and extended family.
Judie, the daughter of the late Philip and Rose Leamon, was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, where her father was stationed with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943. She grew up in Mississauga, just outside of Toronto where her ancestors had settled as pioneers. An active child, Judie loved swimming and would often ride her bike to the local pool or spend summer days at the lake.
After graduating from High School, Judie trained as a nurse at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. It was in that city that she met the love of her life, Bob (Robert) Riddell. They married in Regina in 1965 before settling in Calgary to raise their three children.
In 1979, Judie and Bob opened Riddell Appraisal Services, a business that they successfully ran for seventeen years. The business brought Judie much personal fulfillment as she relished interacting with people from all walks of life.
Judie thoroughly enjoyed her years of retirement, traveling extensively with Bob through Europe and North America. She savoured her visits to the UK, where she took many trips to research her family tree. On her travels, and especially in Calgary, Judie loved attending and supporting various musical and theatrical companies, especially Vertigo Mystery Theatre and the CPO.
Judie had a passionate interest in genealogy and was able to trace her family back to the 1700s. For many years she volunteered at the Alberta Family Histories Society. As one of the Project Chairpersons, a proud achievement was her team’s submission of the AFHS cemetery records on CDs and DVDs to the National Archives, where each one received an ISBN number. Other volunteer activities dear to her heart included assisting and guiding many, many grateful researchers at the AFHS library, as well as the LDS research centre at 17th Avenue.
Family was extremely important to Judie. She treasured spending time with her five grandchildren, gathering with everyone for frequent Sunday dinners, and often vacationing together. In later years, she became more involved in her Faith and especially enjoyed her Thursday morning Bible study meetings with members of the Centre Street Church. As her health declined, and she struggled with mobility issues, Judie relaxed with family doing jigsaw puzzles, watching Hallmark Christmas movies, and she was always up for a game of Spite and Malice, Rummikub, or Yahtzee.
Our lives are better for having known her and she will be dearly missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held at McInnis & Holloway (Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street N, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6) on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at the Funeral Home.
Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Judie’s service streamed live (see below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted.
If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to The Calgary Foundation, Riddell Family Fund, https://payment.csfm.com/donations/calgaryfoundation/.
Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Judie’s family here.
In living memory of Judie Riddell, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.
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