Roy Arthur Baldridge

October 17, 1918 - June 16, 2018

Obituary

Roy Arthur Baldridge, 99, of Seattle passed away June 16th, 2018, due to injuries suffered from a fall at his home in West Seattle.

Roy was born October 17th, 1918, in Wheeler, Wisconsin, to Arthur and Frieda Baldridge. Roy’s mother died of pneumonia when he was only two years old. As a result, he was raised by his father and three older sisters: Olive, Ruby, and Margaret.

Roy attended high school until economic hardships brought on by the great depression of the 1930’s forced him to quit school and help support his family by working as a farmhand. At the age of 17, Roy joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, doing reforestation at Camp Cllam Lake, Wisconsin. In 1939, Roy and Elma Flanagan were married in a double wedding with his sister Margaret and Richard Owens. Shortly thereafter, the four of them travelled by car to Washington State. Initially settling in the Renton area, Roy found temporary employment in the logging industry around Black Diamond. Eventually he worked at the Boeing Company until he was drafted into the Army serving in World War II. Following the war, Roy went to work for Continental Can Company in Seattle where he worked there as a journeyman machinist until his retirement in January of 1979.

Roy enjoyed a variety of activities during his long life. In the 50’s he took a correspondence course from National Radio Institute and successfully build the neighborhood’s first TV using a war surplus 5 inch cathode ray tube removed from military radar equipment. He loved the out of doors, camping and fishing at every opportunity. Roy travelled extensively with his truck and trailer from his home in Seattle, driving up to Alaska on one extended trip and touring the East Coast on another. He served as scoutmaster for troop 296 in West Seattle for a number of years, providing monthly camping and hiking trips throughout the Cascades and Olympics for boys living in the Delridge area. Roy turned his skills as a machinist into woodworking, creating beautiful clocks of all types that he lovingly gifted to friends and family members.

Roy is survived by his daughter, Kathi Qualman, of Vancouver, Washington, and son, Larry Baldridge, of Maple Valley, Washington.

Roy was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Elma, in 2006 and his oldest son, Robert, in 2017.

Roy’s graveside services will be held at 1:00 PM, Saturday, August 25, at Bonney-Watson, Washington Memorial Park, SeaTac, Washington.