Obituary of Barbara Aleathea Ridings

Barbara Aleathea Ridings went into the arms of her Lord and Savior on January 1, 2024. She was 92 years old. She was content and surrounded by her loved ones in her home.

She was born on March 21, 1931 to late parents Owen Richards and Doris Brown in Valdosta, Georgia. She met her husband, James, on a blind date while he was on leave from Alaska. He decided from the first moment he met her that she was the girl for him and pursued her hotly. He proposed within a week and went back to Alaska, where he would write her a letter every day also asking her to marry him. Each letter was sealed with a kiss. Upon his return, James told Doris that he was going to marry her daughter. James took Barbara to Stone Mountain during a Lover's Moon, where he got down on one knee and proposed to her. She said she didn't have the heart to say no, and they were married on May 19, 1952. Their marriage lasted for 67 happy years until James passed away on January 15, 2019. Until Barbara's passing, she said she was still married to him. Their marriage brought six children, many grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. She was a fantastic mother and grandmother and loved by all who knew her. She was the rock of the family.

She is predeceased by her husband, James Ridings; parents, Owen Richards and Doris Brown; two brothers and one sister.

She is survived by daughters, Sheryl Rector (Kenny), Pamela Parker (John), Barbara Kay Hall (George), Kerry Lee (Justin); sons, Curtis Ridings (Delinda) and Glenn Ridings; and numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

A visitation will be held on Monday, January 8th from 6 - 8pm at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 9th at 11am at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209, with burial at 1pm at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia, SC 29229.