Jeff Sullivan Riddick Jr

Jeff Sullivan Riddick, Jr. passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 8, 2020. It was a quiet end to an impactful life. Jeff taught his children how to camp and fish, build and launch model rockets, and start a fire without matches. He taught these skills to others, volunteering in the Boy Scouts and founding a model rocket club at his kids’ school. Jeff was known as “Da Banjo Man,” playing banjo at area nursing and assisted living homes as well as national banjo conventions.  He was active on stage and behind the scenes at Rivertown Theater and JPAS for many years. A member of the Effective Arts Company, he acted in scenarios helping to train staff in organ procurement for LOPA. He was a founding member of the Krewe of Stars, and a member of SAG-AFTRA, appearing in film, national TV commercials as well as a TV series. Jeff served in the Louisiana Air National Guard as a ground crew chief.  At Kennedy Space Center in the 1960’s, he worked for NASA helping to launch multiple space missions, including the Apollo 11 moon landing. He flew seaplanes servicing the gas and oilrigs. Jeff retired from M S Benbow & Associates as a design engineer. Preceding him in death were his parents, Jeff S. Riddick, Sr. and Ellen Ritchie Riddick as well as his son, Jeff S. “Trey” Riddick III. Jeff is survived by his wife, Arvilla Miller Riddick; children Beth, David, and Patti Riddick; his former wife Paula Weathersby Riddick; as well as 10 grandchildren. The family wishes to thank the compassionate and caring doctors and nurses at Ochsner-Main Campus. A gathering in his memory will be held at Tharp-Sontheimer-Tharp Funeral Home, 1600 N. Causeway Blvd. Metairie, LA., on Saturday, June 13, 2020 with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m. and a memorial with music at 1:00 p.m. Donations may be made in his memory to Wounded Warriors, Inc. Expressions of love and sympathy may be placed and viewed online at www.tharpsontheimerfh.com
 

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