John Ridder Tribute Video

Tribute video for John Ridder 1935-2011

John William Ridder was born to Piet and Ann Ridder in Malang, Indonesia on July 31, 1935. He was the firstborn of two brothers. His father worked for the Dutch government and was stationed in Indonesia when World War II broke out.

At the age of six, John, his brother and mother were put in one Japanese prison camp and his father in another. The family was separated without knowledge of each other for four years. At the end of the war they were reunited for ten days. His father went to the market place for food where he was killed by snipers. Ann and her boys were put back into prison camp for safety until there was a ship ready to return them to Holland after a few months.

In 1946, John, his mother and brother came to California to be with their family for one year where John attended school for the first time at age 11. After returning to Holland he went to school and became a Sea Scout. This began his lifelong love of sailing. In 1955, at the age of 19, he immigrated to California and started his new life in America. He worked for his Uncle John and then was hired on by the Southern California Edison Company where he worked for 35 years.

He attended Ontario Christian Reformed Church in Ontario, California where he met Jennie Wassenaar at the church youth group. They were married September 3, 1957. They had two children, Peter in 1962 and George in 1963. John and a couple of friends started the Calvinist Cadet Corps at the church (similar to the Boy Scouts) where he was a leader for many years.

John loved his new country. He loved going to the national parks all over the West. First they went tent camping and soon he fashioned himself a tent trailer before there was such a thing! Later he acquired the first of many motor homes. Jennie and he enjoyed taking their friends and family on trips all over the West, but nothing can compare with his love for Lake Powell where he took his family every summer.

John retired in 1990, but was never idle. He was forever working in his shop, building his grandkids a fort (still on Hunter Road), helping others or polishing his boat. "Handy" doesn't begin to describe his ingenuity and skill as a craftsman. He had only to look at something to figure out how it worked and how he could make it better.

Since moving to Oregon in 2000, he enjoyed sailing on the Columbia River. He also loved his 12 acres in Cove, Oregon, rocks and all. He finally had a pasture clear enough of rocks to mow with his riding lawn mower. He took great pleasure in visiting his family in the U.S., Canada, and his annual trip to Holland where he passed away at his brother's home doing what he loved.

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