July 25, 1963 – October 31, 2020
Joe Allen Ridge, 57, passed away at his home in Sheridan, surrounded by his loving family on Saturday morning, October 31, 2020. Born July 25, 1963 in Noblesville, he was the son of Phillip and Martha (Merritt) Ridge.
Joe was a man of vision and entrepreneurial spirit. He never met a problem or a challenge that he couldn’t solve, and he often found a way to make the solution profitable. Joe was a scrapper for many years, both independently and as partner with John Ridge at Ridge and Son Recycling. Much more than a junk man, he was a true recycling specialist. If there was an ounce of profit to be had in an item, Joe could find it, separate it, and turn it into cold hard cash. He also owned and operated Ridge and Son Towing in Sheridan.
Never one to sit and be idle, Joe loved going to auctions, flea markets and swap meets, usually looking for anything International Harvester-related, although nothing was truly off the table. Joe had the gift of being a natural “horse trader.” He could barter and haggle with the best of them. That was a useful skill when it came to getting rid of the countless cars he restored over the years. Joe had a passion for old cars. He enjoyed going to car shows but really loved getting his hands on an old junker, making it run, getting rid of it, and starting the whole process all over again. Truth be told, he probably fixed up and sold more cars than most car dealerships.
At the end of the day, what Joe was most passionate about was his family, especially his grandkids.
Joe is survived his mother, Martha (Merritt) Ridge; son, Joe Allen Ridge, II (Mindy), Sheridan; daughters, Tiffany Renae Campbell, Evansville, Miranda Paige Bentzen (TJ), Cairo, Neb., Kimberly Renae Hansen, Evansville, and Adrian Suzanne Sutton (Brad), Palmetto, Fla.; grandchildren, Summer, Nakayla, Kaleb, Sidney, Linzy, Ellie, Mariah, Naomi, Aiden, Harmony, Daphnie, Nora, Atlas and Tyler; brother, Jesse Melvin Ridge, Lebanon; sisters, Christina Barnett, Appleton, Wis., Marty Garland (Fred), Lizton, Melissa Bradley (George), Sheridan, Phyllis Laney (Paul), North Vernon, Lonetta Cooper (Chris), Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and Andrea Ridge, Sheridan; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his father, Phillip Ridge; wife, Penny Ridge; daughters, Jessica Ridge and Stephanie Marie Cooper; grandson, Spencer Hansen; and his canine BFF, his basset hound, Jake.
Public visitation will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, November 6, 2020 at Kercheval Funeral Home, 306 E. 10th St., Sheridan.
Graveside services will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, November 6, 2020 at Crown View Cemetery in Sheridan. Reverend Harrell Wilson will be officiating.
Strict COVID precautions will be observed, including the wearing of masks.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be presented to Kercheval Funeral Home, P.O. Box 42, Sheridan, IN 46069, to help defray funeral expenses.
Condolences: KerchevalFuneralHome.com