A fund to honor the late Randy Ridgeway at the Chautauqua Regional Community Foundation (CRCF) has been set up. Ridgeway who passed away on April 9, 2022, at the age of 53, after a prolonged battle with cancer. Submitted photo.

To honor the memory of her late husband, Bonnie Ridgeway, has partnered with the Chautauqua Regional Community Foundation to create the Randy Ridgeway Foundation Fund.

“Randy was a driven entrepreneur who built a successful business, Engine Room International,” a foundation press release said.

Additionally, Ridgway was a longtime supporter of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and an avid mechanical tinkerer, who also has a passion for racing. Ridgway competed in drag, oval dirt and asphalt car races.

However, according to the press release, Ridgeway was a man renowned for his generosity and passion for helping those less fortunate or “at-risk.”

“Randy was anything but ‘cookie-cutter,’ and this fund is no different to Bonnie. We want to be able to support the causes that need it most, just as Randy would have. He made the world a better place, and with this fund, we hope to continue in that effort in his absence. Memorializing him in this way, it’s like a warm hug at the end of a long day.”

CRCF Executive Director Tory Irgang said, “CRCF is honored to help steward this fund, ensuring it carries on Randy’s legacy of giving for years to come. “This fund is a beautiful reflection of who Randy was–someone who saw needs in the community and stepped up to help. Through Bonnie’s vision and the continued support of family and friends, his impact will endure for generations to come.”

Ridgeway passed away on April 9, 2022, at the age of 53 years old, after a prolonged battle with cancer, which lasted more than two years. He was a member of The Aladdin Shrine as well as Baldwin Local Shrine, in addition to the Lakewood American Legion Post 1286; The Lakewood Rod and Gun Club; The Chautauqua Lake Fishing Association, Celoron; The Lake Effect Trailbreakers Snowmobile Club, Sinclairville; and The Southern Tier Riders Motorcycle Club, Kennedy.

Ridgeway competed in the 1979 National Plymouth Trouble-Shooting Competition in 1979 in Indianapolis, Ind. He worked for Cooper Energy Services (Cooper Bessemer) from 1981-99 in sales and finally as an instructor at the Mount Vernon Training Center. He then founded Engine Room International where he, as CEO, continued in the Natural Gas Compressor Industry as consultant and instructor, traveling both internationally and domestically. His skills were pivotal in the updates and repairs on the Country of Poland’s pipeline.

According to Bonnie Ridgeway, she hopes the fund will grow over time, expanding its reach and strengthening its impact. For more information call 716-661-3390 or visit crcf.me/ridgeway.