1900 - 1988

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• Birth	12 Jul 1900	Norwich,New London,Connecticut
  Gender	Male
  Died	16 Feb 1988	Ledyard,New London,Connecticut
  Person ID	I34084	Brainard (Brainerd) / Foster / Fish
  Last Modified	20 Oct 2005 00:00:00
  Father	Samuel Eneas HOLDRIDGE, b. 6 Jan 1872, Ledyard,New London,Connecticut
  Mother	Phebe Jane HOLMES, b. 27 Aug 1873, No. Stonington,New London,Connecticut
  Family ID	F14439	Group Sheet
  Married	1923
  Family ID	F14442	Group Sheet
  Family 2	Mildred KINNEY, b. 21 Aug 1902
  Married	1923
  Children	1. Ruth HOLDRIDGE
  Family ID	F14444	Group Sheet
  Family 3	Helen Salvideo PASCOUCHE
  Family ID	F14445	Group Sheet

• Notes

  A LIFE WITH A PURPOSE, by S. Archie Holdridge, private printing by author1991. In my library. p. 7. Since Ray was only two years younger than I was, we really had moretime together than I did with any of the others. Our farmhouse had no central heating or any other modernconveniences; only two bedrooms were used at first, the two downstairs.Ray and I shared the same bed a quite an early age. The first I everreally remember was when I was 7 or 8 years old at Christmas. We bothbelieved in Santa Claus. We had hung our stockings up in what then wasthe dining and kitchen rooms just outside our bedroom door. We both wokewhen it was still dark and whispered to each other about the possibilityof Santa Claus coming and going. I remember I said "if you are sointerested why don't you go out and see". His quick reply was "you are onthe side nearest the door, you should go". Finally, I got up verycarefully not to make any noise and gradually began pulling the bedroomdoor open. The first thing I saw seemed to have a lot of red on it. Ijumped to the conclusion it must be Santa Claus. I returned to the bedjust as quickly as I could without making any noise, jumped into bed andwhispered to Ray, "He's still out there". We both covered our heads withthe blankets and just waited for the longest time or till we just had tohave more air. When it got light, we both got brave and went together toopen the door and the red that I had seen was on a new rocking horsewhich Santa had left. EULOGY TO RAY HOLDRIDGE, by Paul Holdridge Jr. I believe I was Uncle Ray's "buddy". At least that is what he alwayscalled me. When I was young everyone called me Buddy, then it was Bud,then Paul, Jr., and sometimes now it's Mr. Holdridge. But Uncle Ray stillcalled my "Buddy". He was also my buddy, my teacher, and my friend. Hewas my teacher of many practical things, such as the use of tools andmethods of construction, the art of political compromise, but most of allhe taught me to enjoy life and have fun at whatever you do. If you couldplay a practical joke on someone, or spread gossip, that was his way oflife. I am sure that Al and George Clark, and my Uncles Archie, Carl andLeslie can all remember times when they were victims of Ray's sense ofhumor. At all family gatherings, when Uncle Ray arrived the joking andstory telling really began and many times Ray was the willing victim,just to make everyone laugh. In fact he would want us to be laughingright now. I'm sure he is laughing at me trying not to be nervous. Ray was always a child at heart and could communicate with theyoungest of children. How often I heard him speak "baby talk" to infants(ex. Dada, boo-boo) and they all seemed to understand. All childrensensed and enjoyed his love and attention. The young athletes of the town knew and enjoyed Ray's loyalty andsupport of the team. His loud cheering or razzing could be heard at mostfootball games and probably if attendance at all Ledyard High footballgames was documented, Ray's name would be high on the list. His desire to do the daring and different was demonstrated allthrough his life. He was one of the few teenagers who dared to dive offthe drawbridge in Poquetanuck Cove, from a height of 30 or so feet. Hewould do anything for a thrill, from walking a ridge on top of anunfinished building to doing a loop in an airplane. I remember him goingoff a rope swing at Long Pond and jumping into the water, fully clothed,at age 70. This was the way he enjoyed life. He also enjoyed being a critic. He had a way of making peoplebelieve they had made a mistake, only to become a victim of Ray'spractical jokes. But no one seemed to get mad. I was walking with Ray through the Crystal Mall when it was stillunder construction, and as he looked the "Inspector Type" I heard himcall out to 3 men on a scaffold constructing a partition. "Hay fellasyou're building that partition 6 inches out of line'. Three men stoppedwork, checked their blueprints, looked down at Ray who was laughing, andall 3 started to laugh with him. Somehow these strangers knew it was allin fun. We all need to stop and laugh at ourselves once in a while and Ibelieve that was one of Ray's missions, to make us laugh. I'll remember Ray for his honesty, with a few political white lies,his hard work, and his dedication to his town, but most of all I'llremember him as a friend and "buddy" who enjoyed a fun-filled life. Aftertoday, there will be more laughter in Heaven. We all thank you Uncle Ray. REMARKS MADE BY MR. BROWN AT RAY'S FUNERAL Ray D. Holdridge, born July 12, 1900 - carpenter, builder -dedicated citizen of Ledyard, which he loved - and to which, in hisyounger years he devoted himself selflessly. Listen to the array ofactivities to which he was aligned: Justice of the Peace, Town Hall Building Committee, Ledyard Grange,Ledyard Fair Association, Ledyard Fire Co. No. 1, Ledyard Boys League,Ledyard Congregational Church, Board of Selectmen (1948), & RepublicanTown Committee. He represented the Town of Ledyard to the State House ofRepresentatives from 1950-1973 (7 towns). Counting among projects inwhich he played an important role were: 1. The Vo-Ag section of Ledyard High School. 2. The Mohegan-PequotBridge. 3. The early efforts to get Route 117 improved - now close tocompletion. Ray enjoyed the "give and take" of politics, often injecting acontroversial subject and then sitting back to enjoy the squabble. A Republican, yes, but he was always prompt to add, "I work bothsides of the aisle", which he did very successfully. Friendly, quick to make friends, a subtle sense of humor, and peopleliked him. He was a Holdridge through and through and frequently expressed hispride in the family and their accomplishments. True we are reluctant to relinquish him - tears cannot be suppressed- and we are absorbed in a sense of loss. The big gray reclining chair infront of the desk in the Antique Shop, where affairs of the Town, State,and Nation were settled. That chair will be empty, but we must not in ourgrief overlook many preceding chapters. We can be proud and happyconcerning the life I have briefly described. The happy years with Helen,for whom he cared deeply. He leaves a host of friends and acquaintancesas well, a library of pleasant memories and anecdotes for the "Good OldDays" he shared with many. Yes we can even rejoice. Ray put his mark on this community. He leaves it a bit better thanhe found it, and his mark will not be quickly erased from our memories. THE DAY, NEW LONDON, CONN., THURSDAY, FEB. 18, 1988 RAY HOLDRIDGE, EX-LEGISLATOR, LEDYARD STALWART By STEVE FAGIN, Day Staff Writer LEDYARD - Ray D. Holdridge of 60 Kings Highway, a former staterepresentative, community leader and a memmber of one of the town's mostprominent families died Tuesday at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital. He was87. Mr. Holdridge, the only Republican in a family of Democrats, servedseven consecutive terms in the legislature, from 1959 to 1973. He4represented Ledyard and Montville. He supported measures calling for construction of the Mohegan-PequotBridge across the Thames River, the straightening and widening of Route117 between Center Groton and Ledyard Center, and the creation of avocational-agricultural program at Ledyard High School. The General Assembly passed a resolution Wednesday honoring Mr.Holdridge for his contributions, calling him "an exemplary legislator, aman of character, deep loyalty, great determination and foresight." Rep. Glenn Arthur of Ledyard, who co-sponsored the resolution, said,"He was a political mentor and a very close personal friend." As a representative from a predominantly rural district, Mr.Holdridge often complained about the preponderance of lawyers in thelegislature. "I've got nothing against the lawyers, but they're professional men.Sessions are held at night so lawyers can have their office hours, in theolden days we had a little more common sense," he said in an 1981interview. A Ledyard native, Mr. Holdridge was involved in politics on thelocal level, too. He was a member of the Board of Selectmen in 1948, theTown Hall Building Committee in 1956, and the Republican Town Committee.He also served as a justice of the peace. Mr. Holdridge was a charter member of the Ledyard Volunteer Firecompany, a founder of the Ledyard Boys League, a past president of theLedyard Fair Association, and was a member of Ledeyard Grange, theLedyard Nursing Board and the Ledyard Congregational Church. He was an avid sportsman who was a fixture in the stands at highschool football games. Last year the Boys League honored him upon thededication of a new sports field in Gales Ferry. When he learned that hunters were shooting ducks on the ThamesRiver, he established the Poquetanuck Cove Bird Sanctuary. Born July 12, 1900, the son of Samuel E. and Phoebe Holmes Hldridge,he grew up on the family farm. "We were close friends. In those days, neighbors were neighbors."said former Mayor J. Alfred Clark, Jr., who grew up on a nearby farm. Before the Holdridges expanded their nursery operation, they grewvegetables. Clark remembered helping deliver loads of produce with RayHoldridge to Norwich. In return his friend helped with the Clark familydairy farm, he said. Long-time friend Robert O. Brown called Mr. Holdridge "an extremelygood-humored guy." He just loved this community." Brown said, recalling how Mr.Holdridge would snap to attention any time he heard a reference toLedyard. At the same time, Brown said, "He was extremely proud of theHoldridge name." Mr. Holdridge who married the former Helen Selvidio Oct. 28, 1959,in Groton, had been a self-employed carpenter in the 1940s. An eye injuryforced him to give up carpentry, and for several years worked as asalesman at the family-owned Holdridge Farm Nursery in Ledyard Center. In the 1960s he opened Ledyard Center's first restaurant, the OpenHearth Restaurant, and operated it for a number of years before sellingthe business and running an antique store. Somebody's Treasures, with hiswife. He was best known in the business for his collections ofantique-dolls and toys. Besides his wife, survivors include a daughter, Ruth Shafer ofFlorida; three brothers, Archie of Madison, Carl of East Dennis, Mass.,and Leslie Holdridge of Costa Rica; five grandchildren and severalgreat-grandchildren. Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the LedyardCongregational Church. Interment will be in Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich. Calling hours are 7 to 9 tonight at the Gales Ferry Funeral Home ofChurch & Allen. Donations may be made in his memory to the Ledyard VolunteerEmergency Squad.