He was the son of William Ridley and Mary Inman Ridley.

On Wednesday, July 10, 1907 at noon as Lieut. Clarence S. Ridley, he married Bessie A. Thomson in St. Mark's Episcopal Church at Berkeley, California. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. E.L. Parsons, D.D. She was the daughter of Dr. Herbert Thomson and Alice Packer Thomson. She was the sister of Mrs. David Weaver, Keith Thomson and Herbert Thomson.

They had no children.

On July 21, 1965 as Clarence S. Ridley, age 82, he married Gladys P. Kay (Mrs. C. Clyde Kay), age 68, at in the Episcopal Church in Sunnyvale, California.

They had no children.

From the WPAOG website:

USMA Class of 1905. Cullum No. 4342

Clarence Self Ridley was born in Corydon, Indiana, on June 22, 1883, the son of William and Margaret Inman Ridley. He attended grammar school and high school in Corydon.

Appointed to the Military Academy from Indiana, Clarence, known to his intimates as "Riddle," graduated fourth in his class in 1905. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers. Soon after graduation Clarence attended The Engineer School and began his engineering career by doing land defense survey in Honolulu, Hawaii and mapping the city of Luzon in the Philippines. River and Harbor work in Wilmington, Delaware, followed; he later was in charge of that District.

In 1916 he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D C. and the following year became the Military Aide to President Wilson, with the rank of Colonel. He was in charge of public buildings and grounds in Washington and Superintendent of the State, War and Navy Department buildings until 1921.

The next three years were spent in the Canal Zone as Assistant Engineer of Maintenance, Panama Canal. In 1924 he completed the course at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth as an Honor Graduate and was next assigned to San Francisco, where he was District Engineer in charge of River and Harbor improvements on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. In 1928 he became Commanding Officer of the Post and First Engineer, at Fort DuPont, Delaware.

Hurricane Relief Work in Puerto Rico sent him next to San Juan and from there he entered the Army War College in 1930. After a short tour of instructing at the Army Industrial College, Clarence again went to Panama, first as Assistant to and then as Engineer of Maintenance until 1936 when he became Governor of the Panama Canal. He rose through the grades to Colonel in 1935, Brigadier General in 1938 and Major General in 1941.

Back in the States in 1941 Clarence became Assistant Division Commander and then Division Commander at Fort Lewis, Washington, Fort Snelling, Minnesota and Fort Leonard Wood. Missouri, until 1942 when he was sent to Teheran, Iran, as Chief, Military Mission with the Iranian Army. He remained in Iran until 1946; then, after a short tour at the Presidio of San Francisco, he retired in 1947.

Clarence Ridley was decorated at the White House in 1919 with Officer Order of the Leopold, by King Albert of Belgium. He received the Distinguished Service Medal in 1945; Medal of Merit, Iranian, in 1946; and the Order of Harmayon, Second Class, Iranian, 1946.

Clarence married Bessie Thomson of California in 1907. She died in 1961 in Carmel, California. In 1965 he married Mrs. Gladys P. Kay who survives him. Of her husband she writes:

"His military record speaks of Clarence Self Ridley the soldier; it is Clarence Ridley the man of whom I speak. He was an honorable man, faithful to his God, his country, his family and friends... a man respected and loved by all with whom be came in contact...a just man, modest, compassionate and generous. Few knew of the many he helped when they needed help.

"Although our years together were far too few, I felt it an honor and joy to have spent them with him.

"Engraved on the stone which marks his grave at West Point are four words—no more were needed to describe my dearly loved husband: "One With The Father."

He was the son of William Ridley and Mary Inman Ridley.

On Wednesday, July 10, 1907 at noon as Lieut. Clarence S. Ridley, he married Bessie A. Thomson in St. Mark's Episcopal Church at Berkeley, California. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. E.L. Parsons, D.D. She was the daughter of Dr. Herbert Thomson and Alice Packer Thomson. She was the sister of Mrs. David Weaver, Keith Thomson and Herbert Thomson.

They had no children.

On July 21, 1965 as Clarence S. Ridley, age 82, he married Gladys P. Kay (Mrs. C. Clyde Kay), age 68, at in the Episcopal Church in Sunnyvale, California.

They had no children.

From the WPAOG website:

USMA Class of 1905. Cullum No. 4342

Clarence Self Ridley was born in Corydon, Indiana, on June 22, 1883, the son of William and Margaret Inman Ridley. He attended grammar school and high school in Corydon.

Appointed to the Military Academy from Indiana, Clarence, known to his intimates as "Riddle," graduated fourth in his class in 1905. He was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Corps of Engineers. Soon after graduation Clarence attended The Engineer School and began his engineering career by doing land defense survey in Honolulu, Hawaii and mapping the city of Luzon in the Philippines. River and Harbor work in Wilmington, Delaware, followed; he later was in charge of that District.

In 1916 he was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D C. and the following year became the Military Aide to President Wilson, with the rank of Colonel. He was in charge of public buildings and grounds in Washington and Superintendent of the State, War and Navy Department buildings until 1921.

The next three years were spent in the Canal Zone as Assistant Engineer of Maintenance, Panama Canal. In 1924 he completed the course at the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth as an Honor Graduate and was next assigned to San Francisco, where he was District Engineer in charge of River and Harbor improvements on the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. In 1928 he became Commanding Officer of the Post and First Engineer, at Fort DuPont, Delaware.

Hurricane Relief Work in Puerto Rico sent him next to San Juan and from there he entered the Army War College in 1930. After a short tour of instructing at the Army Industrial College, Clarence again went to Panama, first as Assistant to and then as Engineer of Maintenance until 1936 when he became Governor of the Panama Canal. He rose through the grades to Colonel in 1935, Brigadier General in 1938 and Major General in 1941.

Back in the States in 1941 Clarence became Assistant Division Commander and then Division Commander at Fort Lewis, Washington, Fort Snelling, Minnesota and Fort Leonard Wood. Missouri, until 1942 when he was sent to Teheran, Iran, as Chief, Military Mission with the Iranian Army. He remained in Iran until 1946; then, after a short tour at the Presidio of San Francisco, he retired in 1947.

Clarence Ridley was decorated at the White House in 1919 with Officer Order of the Leopold, by King Albert of Belgium. He received the Distinguished Service Medal in 1945; Medal of Merit, Iranian, in 1946; and the Order of Harmayon, Second Class, Iranian, 1946.

Clarence married Bessie Thomson of California in 1907. She died in 1961 in Carmel, California. In 1965 he married Mrs. Gladys P. Kay who survives him. Of her husband she writes:

"His military record speaks of Clarence Self Ridley the soldier; it is Clarence Ridley the man of whom I speak. He was an honorable man, faithful to his God, his country, his family and friends... a man respected and loved by all with whom be came in contact...a just man, modest, compassionate and generous. Few knew of the many he helped when they needed help.

"Although our years together were far too few, I felt it an honor and joy to have spent them with him.

"Engraved on the stone which marks his grave at West Point are four words—no more were needed to describe my dearly loved husband: "One With The Father."