Grandma Annette

We have had Wendy’s mother, Annette Ridges, with us this weekend. We are giving Wendy’s sister Shannon a break. Annette is 92 years old. While she can still walk some and appears to have pretty good physical health, she is nearly blind, has very poor hearing, and considerable dementia. Once in a while her memory kicks in, but in general, there isn’t much communication anymore. When she senses she has an audience, she will sort of wake up and try to entertain people with funny statements and faces.

In regard to her attitude, her later years have been exemplary. She has not complained about her health or other problems.. She always sees the bright side and is happy and positive. She enjoys the attention of family members and others.

She was born Annette Newman Salt Lake City, 30 Apr 1918, to William Gold Newman, from Tennessee , and Elizabeth Johnson, whose family were Danish converts to the Church. She married Kenneth P. Borg, 8 Oct 1937, in the Salt Lake Temple. They had six children, a son Kenneth Jr. (b. 1939). then five daughters, Sue (b. 1941), Kathy (b. 1946), Wendy (1948), Bonnie (b.1951), and Shannon (b. 1954). All married and raised their families in Salt Lake. Ken Jr. was a dentist and all of the daughters home-makers. Ken Jr. served a mission in England and all six of the children were married in the temple.

Annette was an accomplished artist, and produced many fine oils, water colors, and sketches, particularly after her children were grown. Paintings include still-life and outdoor scenes from Utah and also Europe. One of her paintings is housed in the Jordan River Temple.

Sadly, after 33 years of marriage, Annette’s husband left his family. Annette helped to provide support by working as a floral designer and with a wedding reception center. On 4 May 1972 she married Melvin H. Ridges in the Salt Lake Temple. He was a widower and a successful insurance executive. He also had been blind since he was a young adult (his condition became evident and worsened while he was serving as a missionary), but in spite of his handicap, was a very capable and solid man. Annette and Melvin served as senior missionaries at the San Diego Visitors Center from 1979-1981. He passed away in January 1997.