Clayton Leslie Ridings Jr., financial businessman
On Monday, Aug. 18, 2014, C. Leslie Ridings Jr. "Les," 87, of Lewes, passed away peacefully into the arms of the angels while surrounded by his family, after a long battle with Alzheimer's.
A graduate of P.S. DuPont High School and the University of Delaware, Les proudly served in the U.S. Navy as a quartermaster and signalman on the tanker Aucilla in the Pacific Fleet during World War II.
Following that was a long and successful career in the financial services and insurance industry, during which he founded and ran two companies: Heather Agenc, Inc. and Brandywine Pension Consultants, until his retirement in 2004. Les also served as a lawmaker in the House of Representatives during the 128th and 129th sessions of the Delaware State Legislature.
Les is survived by his former wife and friend, Marie B. Ferguson "T" and her husband, John of Wilmington; his beloved family: Clayton L. Ridings III and wife Toby of Arden, Elizabeth Ridings and husband John Lawler of Wilmington, Barbara Exter and husband Andrew of Newark; grandchildren, J. Michael Ridings and wife Morgan of Lewes, Jayme Wright and Don Fisher (fiancé) of Newark, Phoenix and Gryphon Ridings of Arden; and great-grandchildren, Tristan, Keira and Sydney Ridings of Lewes.
Friends and family may call Wednesday, Sept. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Chandler Funeral Home, 2506 Concord Pike, Wilmington. A celebration of life will be held at the same location Thursday, Sept. 4, at 11 a.m.
The family would like to extend its sincere appreciation and eternal gratitude to the staff of the Delaware Veterans Home for the love and kindness they showed Les during his stay there.
