Don Ridgeway

Don Ridgeway, a former state lawmaker and executive director of the Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council, died March 2, 2024, at his home in Paris. After graduating the University Tennessee at Martin with a bachelor’s degree in education, Ridgeway became a teacher at Groe Junior High School before going into the insurance business. He served as a member and chairman of the Henry County Board of Education before being elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1984, serving 18 years. In the House, he served as majority caucus chairman and chairman of the transportation, conservation, and environment committees. He then spent 21 years with the Northwest Tennessee Economic Development Council,