Obituary of Ralph W. Gridley

Ralph W. Gridley, 75, of West Peabody, died Wednesday evening at his home. He was the husband of the late Joan M. (O’Leary) Gridley. He was born in Melrose on June 9, 1935, the son of the late Ralph and Katherine (Dowd) Gridley and was raised and educated there graduating form Melrose High School. He then entered Tufts University for two years before entering the US Army. He served in the Korean War and following his discharge returned to School at Boston College receiving a degree there in 1960. He had worked with the U S Government in the Banking division as a regulator for over 35 years. He was first working with the Comptroller of the Currency in Portland and later in Massachusetts and he then worked with the Office of Thrift Supervision prior to his retirement in 1995. He had been an umpire with the Slo-Pitch Softball league in the North Shore for many years. He also enjoyed working in his garden in Peabody. He and his family enjoyed their summer residence in Center Ossipee , NH on Dan Hole Pond. Ralph was a member of the Parish Council and finance committee of Our Lady of Assumption Church in Lynnfield for many years. He also served for many years on the board of directors of the First Eastern Mortgage Corp of Andover. He is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law, Ellen Lord of Peabody and Anne and Mark Ventola of Stoneham, three sons, R. Michael Gridley of Sanford, FL, Stephen Gridley of Peabody and Kevin Gridley and his fiancé, Brandy Cote of Somers, CT., his three grandchildren, Stephen Lord of Peabody and Christopher and Katherine Ventola of Stoneham, a sister, Katherine Tagtman of Greeley, Colorado, a niece and three nephews. A Visitation will be held on Sunday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 82 Lynn St., Peabody facility. His funeral will be held on Monday at 9:00 AM from the Funeral home followed by a Mass on Christian Burial in Our Lady of Assumption Church, Lynnfield at 10:00 AM. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park Peabody. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Our Lady of Assumption Church, Grove Street, Lynnfield, MA 01940 in his memory