June 12, 1940 – September 11, 2022
Renate Rosemarie Ridge, 82, Sheridan, passed away on September 11, 2022, in Westfield after an extended illness. She was born on June 12, 1940, in Berlin, Germany. She was the daughter of the late Herbert and Kate (Path) Weisschnur. She married Francis W. (Skeet) Ridge on November 24, 1961, in Berlin, Germany, and then she came to America in September of 1963.
After high school, she went on to business college. She worked as a secretary in Berlin’s largest insurance company. In America, she worked at American State Bank / Summit Bank from 1969 to 1991, and Union State Bank / Merchants Bank from 1991 to 1994 in the bookkeeping department. She worked for Millie’s at the USA Group for one year in 1998. She also worked for the First Famers Bank and Trust at the Sheridan Branch from 1999 to 2004 as a bank teller.
Renate went on and earned her United States Citizenship. Renate enjoyed going to auctions, reading, collecting, and selling antiques and collectables. At one point, she had a shop on Main Street in Sheridan called Décor Galore. She and her husband Skeet liked traveling with the Berlin Veteran’s Military Association, which met every year.
Renate will be missed by her devoted daughter, Yvonne (Ridge) Pickett of Sheridan. She was a loving grandma to Steven M. Pickett of Noblesville, and she is also survived Larry (Sharon) Ridge of Massachusetts, Rex (Janice) Ridge of Florida, Dianne Ridge of Sheridan, Dean Marlow of Sheridan and by several nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death is her husband, Francis (Skeet) Ridge, in 2021; her son-in-law, John Perry Pickett; her parents; her brother and sisters-in-law, Doris Jeanne (Ridge) Smith, Vernon “Brub” Ridge, Barbara and Gerald Holliday, John Ridge, Phillip and Martha Ridge and Betty Marlow.
Funeral Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 16, 2022, at Sheridan United Methodist Church, 207 E. 2nd St., Sheridan, where family and friends are invited to gather from 11 a.m. till time of services. The Rev. John Meunier will be officiating Renate’s services. Burial will follow at Crown View Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association at 7363 E. 21st St., Indianapolis, IN 46219.
Everyone is invited to sign the guestbook, leave a condolence, or share a memory at fisherfunerals.com. Those who will not be able to attend Renate’s services can watch it live on Fisher Family Funeral Services’ Facebook page.