Donald Ray Eldridge, 85, formerly of Watertown, died April 25 at his home in Palm Coast, Fla.
Mr. Eldridge was an independent contractor for Northern Haulers. In 1951, he was an electrical journeyman with Watertown Electric Co. before taking a position as assistant business agent for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers during construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. He retired in 1982 as a vice president and general manager of Dexelectric Inc.
Later, he was a rural letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Florida until his second retirement in 1989.
Born Aug. 31, 1922, in Potsdam, son of Glenford and Edith Luce Eldridge, he graduated in 1940 from Adams High School and finished his electrical apprenticeship in 1944.
He married Martha Carolyn Greene on Dec. 23, 1943, in Watertown.
Mr. Eldridge joined the Navy and served until 1947 as an aircraft mechanic at Jacksonville (Fla.) Naval Air Station.
He was a Master Mason with the Copenhagen Lodge, a member of Army & Navy American Legion Post 61 and United Commercial Travelers and a 66-year member of the IBEW.
An avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing trips with his son and grandsons and was active with Watertown Speedway for many years, owning and maintaining stock cars B29 and B28.
Surviving besides his wife are two daughters and their husbands, Jo-Anne and John Grieco, Palm Coast, and Dona-Rae and Stephen W. Yaussi, Henderson Harbor; a son and his wife, Stanley Edward and Barbara Holley Eldridge, Watertown; a sister, Barbara Eldridge Ebeling, Adams Center; seven grandchildren, a stepgranddaughter, 12 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Trinity Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Walter E. Giles officiating. The body will be cremated.
There will be no calling hours. Arrangements are with Coastal Cremation, Palm Coast.
Donations may be made to North Country Support Group for Juvenile Diabetes, an affiliate of the Central New York chapter for JDRF International, in care of Dona-Rae Yaussi, 14620 Gilman Road, Adams, N.Y. 13605.
