Longtime Burnet City Councilman Pat Riddell was true community leader, friends say

JARED FIELDS • PICAYUNE STAFF

BURNET — Longtime Burnet City Council member, realtor and avid hunter and fisherman Wallace Patton “Pat” Riddell died July 27.He was 73.

Those who knew Riddell remembered him as a community leader who worked tirelessly to better his hometown.

“He was a longtime resident who believed in the city of Burnet, and he spent many years trying to make Burnet a better place to live,” said current council member and friend Ken Graham. “He gave a lot of personal time and service to try to accomplish that.”

Born Dec. 26, 1939, to Burnet County Sheriff Wallace Riddell and Rachel Estelle “Essie” Hollingsworth Riddell, Pat graduated from Burnet High School in 1958. His father served 39 years as the county’s sheriff — the longest in state history. Pat Riddell played football at Texas Tech University for three years and then transferred to the University of Texas. He enlisted with the Marine Corps and later had a 14-year rodeo career.

He and wife, Ann, moved to Burnet, where he was named Burnet Honor Citizen in 1985, served as the Kiwanis Club president, helped organize the annual Bluebonnet Festival and helped found the City of Burnet Tourism Alliance.

He was director of development for The Fox Real Estate Group and was working on new development at the Delaware Springs Municipal Golf Course.

Riddell was first elected to the city council in May 2002 and served four full terms and one partial term until May 2013.

“The biggest thing is, whether you agreed or disagreed with Pat, either way, the city lost a great community leader,” Mayor Gary Wideman said. “He was a really good man who genuinely loved Burnet and was willing to give of himself and put up with some of the downsides of being a public person.”

Pat is survived by his wife of 40 years, Ann Clayton Riddell; daughters, Renee Riddell-Owens, Randi Reifle and Rachel Holcomb; son-in-laws, Michael Holcomb and Beau Reifle; grandchildren, Makayla and Chelsea Warden, Avery and Aidan Holcomb, and Halsey Riddell-Owens; sister Vonnie Fox and brother-in-law, Billy Joe Fox; nieces, Gail Grigsby, Rachel and Mary Anne Curington, all of Burnet; and nephews John Grigsby and Jim Vagher, both of Providence, R.I.; as well as many cousins and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Modena Curington and Daisybel Grigsby; and nephew Chuck Grigsby.

A viewing is 5-7 p.m. July 30 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 306 Texas 29 West in Burnet. A funeral service is 11 a.m. July 31 at Hill Country Fellowship Church in Burnet. Interment with a Masonic burial service will follow at Post Mountain Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Burnet First Lutheran Church or the Hill Country Community Foundation. Condolences may be offered at www.clementswilcoxburnet.com.

jared@thepicayune.com