Obituary of Ronald St.Clair Eldridge

Warrant Officer Ronald St.Clair Eldridge, CD Passed away Sunday, October 16, 2011 in South Shore Regional Hospital, Bridgewater. Ron was born in Chester Basin on December 15, 1921, the eldest son of Elwood and Eva Eldridge. A veteran of the second world war, he enlisted in the RCAF in May 1942; was released from active service in October 1945 with the CVSM and Clasp. In September 1947 he re-enlisted as a qualified airframe technician. He was later retrained to be a flight engineer and logged 8500 hours of flying, mostly on ocean patrols. His service with the Canadian Armed Forces ended in December 1971. In 1973 he joined the staff of ABCO Plastics, Mahone Bay as a quality assurance inspector; retiring in 1986 as senior inspector. He was a life member of the Royal Canadian Legion, charter member of the Aircrew Association of Western Nova Scotia; Canadian Military Flight Engineers Association, charter member V.P. International, Charter member FSNA South Shore Branch. Member of Acacia Lodge, No. 39, A.F. & A.M, Bridgewater; member of the Lunenburg County Fiddler’s Association. He enjoyed playing the violin at various nursing homes on the South Shore. Ron and his wife have been members of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, since coming to Bridgewater in 1996. He is survived by his wife, the former, Iva (Langille) Hiltz; step son, Barry (Deborah) Hiltz; step daughter, Nancy (Alan) Cyples; step twin granddaughters, Jessica and Jolene Cyples; sister, Myrna Reeves; brother, Richard (Mary) Eldridge. He was predeceased by his first wife, Dorothy (Williams) Ashdown; infant son, James Ronald; sisters, Marjorie Bond, Sheila Cooney. Visitation 7 – 9 p.m. Wednesday in Sweeny’s Funeral Home, Bridgewater, with a Masonic memorial service at 6:30 p.m. followed by a public Legion tribute at 7 p.m. Service 11 a.m. Thursday, October 20 at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Bridgewater. Rev. Ron Appleton officiating with a reception to follow in the church hall. Private family burial will take place in Martins River Cemetery, Martins River. Family flowers only please, donations may be made to Canadian Cancer Society, Holy Trinity Anglican Church restoration fund or Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia. On-line condolences may be made by visiting www.sweenysfuneralhome.com.