Robert Donald Attridge

Robert D. Attridge, 102, died on March 10, 2024. He was born November 16, 1921, in Honolulu, Hawaii. He moved with his family to Ft. Totten, New York, in July of 1936. Bob graduated from Bay Side High School, Long Island, New York, in 1941. He joined the army in 1942 and served throughout Europe during World War II. After the war, he attended John Hopkins University where he met the love of his life, Betty Gardenhour. He returned to military service in September of 1948, and in November Betty and Bob were married. From 1951-1952 he fought in the Korean War. He served 22 years on active duty and in the Army reserves. In 1964 Bob retired from the army as a Major at Ft. Bliss and started working for Ysleta ISD. While working as a teacher, he attended UTEP to earn a master’s degree. He worked for 27 years at Edgemere Elementary School as a teacher and later a principal.

Bob was a devoted husband to Betty for 75 years and a loving father to his three children. He was an actively involved member of St. Timothy’s Lutheran Church for many years. He became a lifetime member of Sunland Masonic Lodge. He and Betty enjoyed working summers at the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park, Colorado, for three years, and they were both avid UTEP Miner fans and held season tickets for both football and basketball. They enjoyed traveling across the country to watch UTEP games, visiting relatives on the East Coast, and taking numerous cruises all over the world. In his leisure time, he enjoyed playing tennis and golf.

In addition to his parents, Bob was predeceased by his brother Norwood Attridge, and sisters Doris Baldwin, Susan Klug, and Joanne Gable. Surviving, in addition to his wife Betty, are his daughter Emilie Rich and her husband Peter of San Antonio; his son Robert Attridge and his wife Lana of Palm Desert, California, and Colorado Springs, Colorado; and his son Edward Attridge of El Paso; seven grandchildren Natalie O’Neill, Mark Rich, Russell Attridge, Andrew Attridge, Steven Attridge, Jennifer Attridge, and Suzanne Attridge; and seven great-grandchildren Elizabeth O’Neill, Olivia O’Neill, Henry Attridge, Amelia Attridge, Mattheus Attridge, Corbin Attridge, Jeremiah Attridge; and several nieces and nephews.