Claude Leon Riddick passed quietly at 90 surrounded by family on Sunday, January 21, 2024.  He led a full life with work, travel, family, and friends to keep him active.  A longtime resident of both Lake Charles, Louisiana and Houston, Texas, he was born in Smackover, Arkansas on February 24, 1933, and spent his formative years in an Humble Oil camp in South Louisiana.  Claude attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now ULL) for two years and moved on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Louisiana State University.

Claude married his college sweetheart, Claudia Bernice Fontenot and entered the Air Force as a second lieutenant.  After leaving the Air Force as a Captain, he embarked on a forty-six-year career in the oil industry working for Schlumberger, Amoco and finally as an independent contractor post-retirement.  He also was able to attain the 32nd Degree in Freemasonry in 1966 in spite of a demanding career and busy family life.  The two had a daughter and three sons over their twenty-five-year marriage.  After Bernice's passing, Claude met and married Julia Biles Merritt and the two enjoyed twenty-nine years together.  They were fond of travel and Claude traveled extensively with work, visiting five of seven continents in the process.

In recent months, Claude spent most of his time in Baton Rouge leading an energetic lifestyle and spending time with his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Claude is survived by brothers Curtis Keen Riddick (Karla) and Winston Wade Riddick (Patricia); daughter Patricia Susan Riddick Carter (Emmett); sons Gregory Claude Riddick (Marie) and Randall David Riddick (Cheryl); stepdaughter Suzi Merritt Gentry (Ken); grandson Benjamin Paul Carter (Karli, great grandson Phillip and great granddaughter Claire); granddaughters Claudia Noelle Carter Davis (Luke, great granddaughter Lennon) and Lilith Catherine Riddick King (Ben), step-granddaughter Melissa Merritt-Darden (John, step-great-granddaughters Catherine and Victoria and step-great-grandson John).  Claude is preceded in death by wives Claudia Bernice Fontenot Riddick and Julia Biles Merritt Riddick; mother Elizabeth Wade Riddick; father Herbert Hobson Riddick; sister Maxine Riddick Willoughby; son Hugh Joseph Riddick and son-in-law Emmett Eugene Carter.

The family is hosting a visitation at the Proctor Funeral Home, 442 Jefferson Street SW, Camden, Arkansas 71701 on January 26, 2024, from 5:00 to 7:00 in the evening.  Visitation will continue at the same location at 9:00 a.m. on January 27, 2024, followed by a funeral service at 10:00 a.m.  Claude will be interred with Military Funeral Honors at the Riddick Cemetery in Troy, Arkansas immediately following the funeral.

Pallbearers are Ben Carter, Ben King, Greg Riddick, Ken Gentry, Luke Davis and Randy Riddick. Honorary pallbearers are Curtis Riddick and Winston Riddick.