John Riddle Sr.

John Houston Riddle Sr, “Dad”, “Poppy”, “Uncle John”, a husband, brother, son, and a dear friend to so many, died peacefully in his home on February 13th, 2026. During the 48 hours prior to his death, he was busy living life. He played a round of golf, spent the night out with a dear friend, and enjoyed a fine single malt scotch with one of his beloved neighbors. He sent each of his grandkids, who he loved more than words can say, an incredibly sweet and powerful message just a few days before his departure. His leaving shakes us to our core and tears our hearts. His love and guidance will remain a constant in our lives. John’s passion for life, his curiosity, and his love of learning radiated into every aspect of his life. He didn’t just learn to ski. He learned to tune skis and did so in a workshop he set up in his basement. He didn’t just flyfish. He studied, and practiced the art of tying flies. He didn’t just learn to play the bass. He taught himself music theory. He didn’t just learn to ride horses. He learned to rope steers. He leaves all of us with the gift of having known and loved him. He also leaves behind, among many other things, 15 lefthanded putters, several bass guitars, numerous flyrods, many books on music theory, the Italian language and Italian cooking, and best of all…a lifetime of stories! We’ll be okay, Dad. Tell Muv and the dogs we said hi. We love you and we’ll see you when we get there. P.S. I hope they have your channel 81 (Grit), so you’ll be able to end each day with a good Western. You rode off into the sunset in style!

John Riddle Sr was born to William Homer Riddle and Fannie Johnson Riddle in Kannapolis, North Carolina. He is predeceased by his wife, Judy, his parents, his brothers Buck and Bill Riddle, and his sister Betty Riddle Daniels. He attended Mars Hill College where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame for his baseball accomplishments. John Riddle began his career as a professional baseball player in the Baltimore Orioles organization before taking the position of Operations Director and then Director of Ticket Sales for the Atlanta Braves. He was an entrepreneur whose business ventures included cattle breeding, independent retail and ticket sales, rodeo promotion, mesquite wood wholesaler, event bleacher services, and boat-to-door shrimp sales. He served as the General Manager at the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau in the mid-70s. John Riddle was a leader in the trade show industry, a position which he loved dearly. His passion for his work was fueled by the love he felt for all the people he knew and loved.

John Riddle was the Owner and President of Atlanta-based Riddle & Associates, a trade show management and consulting company. He and his team produced the Clean Show, the world’s largest tradeshow in the laundry and drycleaning industry. He also served as the Floor Manager for some of the largest trade shows in the country. These include the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM), Interwire, and The Swimming Pool and Spa shows. He will be deeply missed by all of those who had the pleasure of knowing him.