Sharon Ridley

Sharon M. Ridley died peacefully at home on August 20, 2025, following a courageous battle with cancer. She was born June 10, 1955, in Bangor, the daughter of John 'Tom' and Elizabeth (Campbell) Moore.

Sharon graduated from Brewer High School in 1973 and received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maine in 1977 and her Masters in Gifted and Talented Education from the University of Southern Maine in 1991. Sharon married the love of her life, Cole 'Tom' Ridley in April 1987. Sharon dedicated her life's work to education. She was a beloved elementary and middle school classroom and Gifted and Talented teacher in the Lakes Region School District for 38 years. She impacted the lives of countless students and other educators through her career, many young or new teachers crediting Sharon for her support, encouragement, and mentorship.

Sharon was an active member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Portland and First United Methodist Church in Bangor, serving on multiple church boards and sharing her love of cooking in her participation of FUMC's community meal program, serving hundreds of meals to the community each week. She was a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, showing endless love through her generosity, encouraging faith, and devotion to her family (especially her grandkids). And she made the best deviled eggs you'd ever taste.

Surviving, in addition to her husband, Cole 'Tom' Ridley, are her daughter, Mary Heathcote and her husband, Samuel, of Eddington; four grandchildren, Evelyn, Ender, Theo, and Adrian; two sisters, Cathy Crowell and her husband, Herb, of Veazie, and Maureen Snow and her husband, Robert, of Brewer; one brother, John Moore, and wife, Christine, of Carlsbad, CA.; many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Sharon's family would like to send a special thanks to Lafayette Family Cancer Institute and to Gentiva Hospice for their exceptional care of Sharon during her last months.

A Celebration of Sharon's Life will be held at 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Bangor on Saturday, September 20th, 2025, with a reception to follow. A Catholic Memorial Mass will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, date to be announced.

Gifts in Sharon's memory may be made to Adopt a Classroom, adoptaclassroom.org, to support educators.

Condolences to the family may be expressed at BrookingsSmith.com.