Oliver Francis Baldridge

Oliver Francis Baldridge

April 8, 1939 – March 2, 2022 (Age 82)

Oliver Baldridge passed away at U.C. Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, California, unexpectedly on March 2, 2022, from complications of Covid-19.

His memorial service will be at Crosspointe Community Church at 2960 Hartnell Avenue, Redding, California, in the Ice Cream Social room on July 9, 2022, 10:00 a.m.

Ollie was born on April 9, 1939, at home in Hines, Oregon, to Ruby Anna (Warren) and Henry Timothy Baldridge. He joined a sister, Reita, and brother, Roger. Twin siblings died at birth and his brother, Lonnie, passed away at age 19 in a car accident.

He attended school in Eastern Oregon; Prineville, Oregon, and Gilchrist, Oregon. He graduated from Gilchrist High School, in June, 1958.

Ollie lived for many years in Prineville, Oregon. In the summer, when he had just gotten out of the fifth grade until they left Prineville. when he was just out of the seventh grade, he worked for Mr. and Mrs. Koontz, cleaning house and gardening in the summers and through the school year. She was an artist. He enjoyed his time with her very much. She taught him a lot about flowers and gardening. He then worked on ranches with his dad until they moved to Gilchrist, Oregon. After he graduated from high school, he joined the U.S. Forest Service and worked for them up until 1962. He then began his career as an auto mechanic after moving to Burns, Oregon, in 1962.

Ollie was raised in a family that hunted and fished all his life. His very favorite time of the year was deer hunting season, then when moving to Colorado, deer and elk hunting season. His sons and daughters hunted with him throughout the years, then his grandsons, Sean and Tyler. When he moved to Colorado, when his great-grandson, Kobe, turned eight, he started going hunting with them. He hunted with his best friend, Dave Vollmers, for over 25 years in the Redding, CA, area.

Ollie loved racing cars. He loved to watch NASCAR races. He loved cars and knew a lot about cars and was an expert in that field. He owned a race car in the 1980’s and raced at the racetrack in Redding, California, for a few years. His car was named Illusive Dream. He also loved watching football and favored the San Francisco Forty-Niners after moving to California in 1977. He had the great joy of taking his grandsons, Sean and Tyler, to the game in San Francisco when Joe Montana’s jersey was retired on December 16, 1997. One of Ollie’s favorite things to do was go out on the Jumpin’ Jack fishing boat out of Trinidad, California. He went out on that boat almost 40 times.

Ollie married Bea Baldridge (Lola) on October 10, 1959, in Reno, Nevada. Together they have five children, Clayton James, who was stillborn; Lisa Renee Baldridge Turner; Bonnie Ann Baldridge Smith; Sherrie Lee Baldridge; and Oliver James Baldridge (Jim). Ollie and Bea were married for 62 years and five months upon his passing. They had an extra-special relationship with each other and with the Lord Jesus Christ as the center of their marriage. They had many happy times raising their children. He and Bea have six grandchildren, whom they have loved and enjoyed very much. Their grandchildren include Sean Baldridge, Tyler Curran, Taryn Curran, Kylie Taylor, Balyn Baldridge, and Hannah Hackstedde. Their many great-grandchildren include Kobe, Jackson, Addison, Brooke, Machi, Cahliem, C’Yanna, Kavell, Haley, Emily, Chase, Tyler, and Evelyn. Ollie is also survived by his sister, Reita Evans, Prineville, Oregon, many nephews, nieces, great-nephews and great-nieces. His mother, Ruby Anna Baldridge, father Henry Timothy Baldridge, and brothers, Lonnie and Roger, preceded him in death. Also, two twin siblings who died at birth.

Ollie worked from the time he was about 22 until he retired as an auto mechanic. He worked for S.J. Denham Chrysler/Plymouth in Redding, California, as a mechanic for many years, first working for Stony Denham, and then when Stony retired, working for Stony’s son, Randy.

Ollie and Bea moved to Pueblo, Colorado, in 2007. They lived there for ten years, then moved to Thornton, Colorado, for five years. They enjoyed their grandson, Sean, and his family very much. They attended The Harvest Church in Thornton and made many friends there.

Ollie and Bea went to Israel on tours three times. It was the experiences of a lifetime. Being together where the Lord walked was so awesome. They came back from their first trip in 2000 and learned Hebrew.

Ollie and Bea shared their love and knowledge of the Lord with many people throughout their life. They held home group Bible studies over the years. They loved to study the Bible together every day. Ollie especially loved reading Isaiah and Ezekiel and the Psalms and Proverbs. Ollie got saved in the little Baptist church Bea was raised in in Crescent, Oregon, a few weeks after they got married. He was baptized in the Little Deschutes River in April, 1960. The water was so cold that he said, “If I wasn’t saved when I went under, I sure was when I came out.”  Ollie loved and worshipped his Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah, and is finally in His arms, free from this world. We’ll see you soon honey.

Baruch Dayan HaEmet and Shalom Shalom be with you dear loved one. (Blessed is the Judge of Truth and peace, peace.