Senior Chief (US Navy, Retired) Wayne Howard Ridley of Stuart, FL died at The Harper House of Treasure Coast Hospice from complications due to blood clots.
He was born in Pompano Beach, FL to (Biological Parents) Mattie Bonner and Willie G. Kelly, Adopted by his parents Melvin Ridley SR. and Dorothy Kelly Ridley. Always aware of his birth parents, Wayne over the years befriended and embraced them and their families as part of his family.
Wayne, an alumni of Madison Comprehensive High School in Mansfield Ohio, served 23 years in the Navy where he trained in and held duty assignments in electronics , computers, and recruiting. His sea duty assignments included USS Texas CGN -39, USS Richmond K. Turner CG-20, USS Sides FFG- 14, USS Arthur W. Radford DD-968, and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower CVN-69. He had numerous shore duty assignments (Groton, CT, Dam Neck, VA, San Diego, CA, Mare Island, CA, Dahlgren, VA, Pensacola, FL, and Raleigh, NC) and one overseas assignment at NAS Sigonella, Sicily
Wayne received Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (4), Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation (3), Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation with Special Operations "O", Battle "E"(2), Good Conduct Medal (5), National Defense Medal (2), Navy Sea Service Ribbon (4), Navy Overseas Ribbon (2), Navy Recruiting Ribbon, Special Operations Service Ribbon, Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist and Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist.
After retirement Wayne settled in the Treasure Coast area of Florida where he worked as an electronics technician and engineer. He was a devoted father to his sons Matthew and Nicholas, very active in the YMCA of the Treasure Coast, a member of St. Lukes Episcopal Church, Port Salerno, FL and a devoted Tiger Woods and Miami Heat fan.
Wayne was proceeded in death by his biological father Willie Kelly and his sister Stephanie Rogers-Barnes. He is survived by his sons Matthew and Nicholas of Stuart, Florida; his parents Melvin, Sr. and Dorothy Ridley of Sebring, Florida; his brother Melvin II (Torya) of San Diego; his sister Adrianne (Thomas) Payne of Odessa, Florida; his biological mother Mattie Rogers of Hephzibah, GA; his brothers: Phil Rodgers Jr. of Summerville, South Carolina, and Conrad Kelly of Fort Lauderdale, FL; sisters: Pamela Crockett of Fredericksburg, Virginia , Nyree Kelly and Nyecha Kelly of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; his many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service will be held Saturday April 23, 2016 11:00 am at St. Luke's Episcopal Church 5150 SE Railway Avenue, Stuart Florida. The Senior Chief will be buried at sea out of Naval Station San Diego.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The Wayne Howard Ridley Memorial Fund at Wells Fargo which has been established for his sons