Dr. C. E. Gene Ridenhour

Visitation will be held Friday, September 4, from 5-8 p.m. at Missouri United Methodist Church. Services will be held Saturday, September 5, at 11 a.m. at Missouri United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Dr. Ridenhour was born September 29, 1931, to Elsie Runge and Chesley Ray Ridenhour, both of whom were Ozark farmers of German descent. Born and raised on Indian Creek near Belle, Missouri, he was raised to live honestly, work hard, worship, and have a deep respect for humanity. He attended a one room 8-grade elementary school, and though poverty obstructed his education, he graduated valedictorian from Belle High School in 1949.

Initially pursuing a career in education, he attended Central Missouri State University and majored in education, languages and music. Thereafter, he taught grade school at College Hill. During the Korean War, he entered the Air Force and was accepted as an aviation cadet. He became an officer and earned his navigator / bombardier wings. He served on active duty flying MATS missions from Rhein Main AFB in Germany. It was there that he met the love of his life, Ruth Dobeck. In 1958 they were married in the same Koenig, MO., church in which he was raised. Also during this time, his brother LeRoy died of meningitis, seeding the inspiration for a highly rewarding career as a physician.

At the University of Missouri, he received a B.A. in Chemistry in 1959, and an M.D. in 1963, graduating top of his medical school class. He served as a resident in surgery at both Washington University and MU and practiced as a general surgeon in Columbia, founding Columbia Surgical Associates with Drs. E.J. Schewe and Hugh Harris. Over his career, he had performed surgery in 25 hospitals before retiring in 1995.

He held many positions of distinction including membership in Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha Omega Alpha, Phi Beta Pi, and the American Medical Association. He was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Chief of Surgery at Boone Hospital Center and Regional Hospital, and president of Boone County Medical Society. He was also a long serving mason, earning a 33rd degree in the Scottish Rite.

Aside from medicine, friends and family, he loved music, gardening, and singing in the choir. His contributions to both the Scottish Rite and Missouri United Methodist Church Choir were significant and legendary. Many of his closest friends sang with him and shared this passion.

Survivors include his son, COL Gary Ridenhour, currently serving as a Brigade Commander in Ft. Hood, TX; his daughter, Renee Ridenhour of Kansas City; a sister, Christine Lairmore of Colorado Springs; his adopted sister, Bette Branson of Jefferson City; and three granddaughters, Audrey Colley, Madeline Ridenhour, and Lauren Ridenhour.

In addition to his parents and his wife of nearly fifty years, he is preceded in death by his sister Beryl Mae and his brother LeRoy.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Missouri United Methodist Church, 204 S. 9th Street, Columbia, MO., or to the Scottish Rite Temple of Columbia, 33 N. Masonic Drive, Columbia, MO.