J. Ridley Howard

Howard, J. Ridley J. Ridley Howard, 66, of Atlanta, passed away peacefully with his family by his side on March 15, 2013. He was a graduate of Decatur High School and the University of Georgia, where he was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and played on the tennis team under Coach Dan Magill. In 1969, he married his college sweetheart Pam Camp and moved to Decatur. He began his career as a commercial real estate broker from 1970 to 1978 when he went to work for the DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce as Director of Economic Development. In 1981, he joined Cotton States Insurance Company as Director of Special Projects and held a variety of positions including Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer. In 1989, he was named President and CEO of the company, and in 1998, he was named Chairman of the Board.  He was President of Capital City Club, a member of Highlands Country Club and an avid golfer. He was a member of Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Ridley was a devoted husband and father and loved spending time with Pam and their children Elizabeth and Ridley. Later in life, he doted on his grandchildren, including the triplets, Sutherland, Mary Camp and Ridley Newton and Ben (Bunk) Newton, III, the children of Elizabeth and Ben Newton of Atlanta. He was an ardent Georgia Bulldog, Eagle Scout, and a member of Gridiron. He leaves behind a legion of friends and a loving family who will miss him dearly. Preceded in death by his father, Pierre Howard, Sr., he is survived by his wife, Pamela Camp Howard; son, Ridley Howard, Jr. and his wife, Holly Coulis; daughter, Elizabeth Howard Newton and her husband Ben; grandchildren Mary Camp Newton, Sutherland Newton, Ridley Newton and Ben Newton; mother, Caroline Ridley Howard; brothers, Pierre Howard, Jr. and his wife, Nancy B. Howard, and Dozier  Howard; sister-in-law, Nancy Camp Carter and brother-in-law, Thomas Edward Camp, IV and 10 nieces and nephews.  Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 19th at 2 o’clock at Peachtree Presbyterian Church. Interment Decatur City Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The University of Texas, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Attn: Dr. Milind Javle (research for cholangiocarcinoma), 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 426, Houston, Texas, 77030-4004. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6 to 8 at H.M. Patterson & Son, Oglethorpe Hill, 4550 Peachtree Road, NE, Atlanta, Georgia, 30319.