ORVILLE BALDRIDGE

Obituary of ORVILLE BALDRIDGE Orville Baldridge, Jr. went home to be with his heavenly father Wednesday, September 10, 2014. He was born in Pikeville, Kentucky on March 21,1945. He moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 1964 and worked at A&P Food Stores where he quickly rose to become the youngest assistant manager of an A&P Store up to that time. While at A&P, he did a two-year stint with the Army and was deployed to Viet Nam. He spent seven years working as a District Manager for Curtis Circulation where he acquired wholesale accounts for magazine publications and put them in large chain stores such as Publix, Winn Dixie & Eckhard Drug Stores. He was subsequently employed as the General Manager for Duval News Company in Jacksonville. Next, he went to Inglewood, Colorado where he passed his Series 7 exam and became a stockbroker. He continued in that field for many years and eventually opened his own consulting company to help small over-the-counter companies go public, obtain financing and promote their stock. Orville and his wife, MaryLouise, have held weekly services on Thursday evenings at Cornerstone Retirement Center in Longwood, Florida for the past 15 years. He started as a lay minister and attended Crossland Community College where he was awarded a Master's Degree in theology. He was ordained as a minister in 2004. Orville said his greatest accomplishment in life was having a relationship with Jesus Christ. Orville and his wife moved to Astor in 2006. He became active in the First Baptist Church of Astor where he served on the Finance, Outreach and other committees and became known for singing and occasionally preaching there. For Christmas 2013, he made a nine-song CD entitled "Orville With You Forever." Most recently, he has been instrumental in the establishment of our local "River Country Radio Station," WMCW, 97.7 FM. Orville was pre-deceased by his father, Orville Baldridge Sr., and his mother Emogene Blackburn Baldridge. His wife, MaryLouise Baldridge; two sons, Matthew Carter Baldridge and Orville Keith Baldridge and one daughter Zane Rhea Melvin and her husband Mike; two stepsons, Jason Thomas Hoffner and his wife Marsha, and David Demark Diel and his wife Kamila survive him. Grandchildren include Rhianon, Brandon, Matthew, Marianna, Noah, Sarah Louise, Mark, Sarah-Kate, Jay, Ty, Max, Rudy and Ashlee. Surviving siblings include Thelma Jean Edgerton and her husband, Ron; Christine Burns and her husband, Scotty; Daniel Baldridge and his wife Debby-Jo; Stephen Baldridge and his wife, Yvetta. He has been greatly loved and will be sorely missed by not only his family, but also all who knew him. In lieu of flowers, it was requested that a donation be made to the church. Services Funeral services were held on Sunday, September 14 at the First Baptist Church of Astor.

ORVILLE BALDRIDGE

March 21, 1945 - September 10, 2014