Vivian Ridge: What Happened to Bob Ross’s First Wife?

Vivian Ridge was an American artist who developed a love for painting at a young age. She studied art history and spent much of her life appreciating creativity, family, and nature.

She became widely known as the first wife of Bob Ross, the legendary American painter, television personality, and art teacher. Their marriage also brought them their only son, Steve Ross.

This article explores Vivian Ridge’s early years, education, artistic interests, marriage to Bob Ross, motherhood, divorce, later years, personal interests, financial background, passing, and the legacy she left behind.

Quick Bio

Personal Detail	Information
Full Name	Vivian Patricia Ridge
Known As	Vivian Ridge
Gender	Female
Date of Birth	July 24, 1946
Place of Birth	North Carolina, United States
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Caucasian-white
Religion	Christianity
Education	Wake Forest University
Field of Study	Art History
Profession	Artist and homemaker
Famous For	Being Bob Ross’s first wife
Marital Status	Divorced
Former Husband	Bob Ross
Marriage Year	1965
Divorce Year	1977
Children	One
Son	Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross
Height	About 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm)
Hair Color	Brown
Eye Color	Brown
Estimated Net Worth	Around $1 million
Date of Death	May 3, 2018
Age at Death	About 71 years
Interests	Painting, gardening, cooking, reading, nature walks, classical music

Who Was Vivian Ridge?

Vivian Ridge was an American artist and the first wife of famous painter Bob Ross. She spent much of her life outside the entertainment spotlight and preferred a quiet lifestyle. Art remained an important part of her personal story.

Her connection with Bob made her name familiar to people interested in his personal history. However, Vivian also had her own interest in creativity. She began painting when she was young and later studied art history at university.

She was also the mother of Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross. Steve later followed an artistic path and became a painter and instructor. Vivian therefore became part of a family strongly connected with painting and artistic expression.

Her Childhood and Love for Art

Vivian Patricia Ridge was born on July 24, 1946, in North Carolina. Winston-Salem is closely connected with her life, and she spent her early years away from public attention. Her childhood helped develop her interest in creative activities.

Painting entered Vivian’s life when she was around 12 years old. What started as an early hobby became an important personal interest. She continued appreciating art as she grew older and decided to learn more about its history.

Her family background remained separate from her later public recognition. Instead, the most important part of her younger years was her developing interest in art. That passion eventually influenced her education, personal life, and family environment.

Education at Wake Forest University

Vivian Ridge continued her education at Wake Forest University. She chose to study art history, a subject closely connected with the creative interest she had developed during childhood. Her studies gave her a deeper understanding of artistic traditions.

Studying art history was different from simply learning how to paint. It allowed Vivian to explore the meaning, development, and importance of art. Her university education therefore became an important part of her identity as an artist.

Her college years were also important for another reason. During the period when she was pursuing further education, Vivian met Bob Ross. Their relationship developed over time, eventually turning their young romance into a marriage.

Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross’s Early Relationship

Vivian and Bob Ross met while Vivian was continuing her studies. Their early connection developed into a romantic relationship, making their story closely connected with her college years. They spent time together before deciding to marry.

The couple eventually exchanged wedding vows in 1965. Bob had not yet reached the worldwide popularity he would later enjoy through television. Their marriage therefore belonged to an earlier and very different period of his personal and professional life.

Vivian had an artistic background of her own, which gave the couple a shared connection with creativity. Her understanding of art created a natural link between their interests as Bob continued developing his own skills as a painter.

Her Marriage to Bob Ross

Vivian Ridge became Bob Ross’s first wife when they married in 1965. Their relationship lasted for around twelve years. During those years, Bob continued building his skills and moving toward the artistic career that later made him internationally famous.

Vivian experienced Bob’s journey before The Joy of Painting turned him into a television icon. At the time, he was also connected with the United States Air Force while developing his interest and ability in landscape painting.

Their shared appreciation for art formed an interesting part of their marriage. Vivian had studied art history and enjoyed painting, while Bob developed practical painting techniques. Their home therefore had a strong connection with creativity and artistic learning.

Who Was Bob Ross?

Bob Ross was an American painter, television personality, and art instructor. He became especially famous for creating and hosting The Joy of Painting. His gentle speaking style and simple approach to landscape painting attracted viewers from different generations.

Before becoming a television star, Bob served in the United States Air Force. He later became strongly associated with the wet-on-wet painting technique, which allowed artists to complete beautiful landscapes quickly by working with layers of wet paint.

His television career made painting feel easier and more welcoming to ordinary viewers. His landscapes, calm personality, and memorable expressions became part of popular culture. Vivian Ridge belonged to an important early chapter of his personal life.

Becoming the Mother of Steve Ross

Vivian and Bob welcomed their son, Robert Stephen Ross, on August 1, 1966. Better known as Steve Ross, he became their only child together. His arrival added a new responsibility and important family role to Vivian’s life.

Steve grew up surrounded by artistic influences. His mother had studied art history and enjoyed painting, while his father became a skilled landscape painter and instructor. This creative family environment helped make art a familiar part of his upbringing.

Vivian played an important role as Steve’s mother while maintaining a private family life. Her artistic interests became another part of the environment around him. Steve eventually developed his own abilities and followed the family connection with painting.

Steve Ross and the Family’s Artistic Path

Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross eventually became a professional painter. He learned important painting skills from his father and became especially familiar with the wet-on-wet technique that Bob used throughout his career as an art instructor.

Steve also appeared on The Joy of Painting alongside his father. His appearances introduced viewers to another member of the Ross family who possessed artistic talent. He later became a certified painting instructor and continued working with the painting style.

Vivian’s own appreciation of art added another artistic influence to Steve’s background. Both sides of his family life were connected with creativity. Through Steve’s later work, the artistic tradition associated with his parents continued into another generation.

Vivian Ridge’s Life as an Artist

Vivian Ridge was interested in painting long before her connection with Bob Ross made her known to a wider audience. She started painting at about twelve years old and later strengthened her understanding of creativity by studying art history.

Unlike Bob, Vivian did not build her artistic identity through television. She preferred a quieter approach and kept her creative life mostly outside the public spotlight. Her story shows that art remained personally meaningful even without widespread fame.

Her interests extended beyond painting and included activities such as gardening, reading, cooking, nature walks, and classical music. These quieter interests matched the private lifestyle she maintained throughout much of her adult life.

Why Vivian and Bob Ross Divorced

Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross remained married from 1965 until 1977. After approximately twelve years together, their marriage came to an end. Their separation closed the chapter in which Vivian had been Bob’s first wife and early partner.

Their divorce has been connected with irreconcilable differences and difficulties within their relationship. Bob’s changing professional life and personal issues also became associated with the breakdown of their marriage as both eventually moved in different directions.

After the divorce, Vivian did not pursue another highly public relationship. Instead, she returned to a quieter lifestyle and remained away from the growing fame surrounding Bob. This privacy became one of the strongest characteristics of her later years.

Bob Ross’s Life After Their Divorce

After his marriage to Vivian ended, Bob Ross later married Jane Lee Zanardelli. Jane had an interest in oil painting and became Bob’s student. Their shared interest in art developed into a personal relationship, and they married in 1977.

Jane also became involved in Bob’s artistic business. Their marriage lasted about fifteen years before Jane died from cancer in 1992. Her death was a difficult period for Bob, who temporarily stepped away from filming his painting program.

Bob later married Lynda Brown in 1995 after meeting her while she worked as a nurse. Their marriage lasted only a short time because Bob died from complications connected with lymphoma on July 4, 1995.

Vivian Ridge’s Quiet Years After Divorce

Following her separation from Bob Ross, Vivian returned to a much more private way of living. North Carolina remained an important place in her story. She avoided the entertainment attention that increasingly surrounded her former husband’s television success.

Vivian continued living with interests connected with art and everyday life. Painting remained part of her identity, while some accounts also connect her later years with work in real estate. She never pursued the same public recognition as Bob.

Her private lifestyle explains why she was rarely connected with Bob’s later television appearances. She did not appear on The Joy of Painting. Instead, Vivian built a separate life and kept her personal affairs largely outside the media spotlight.

Her Personality and Personal Interests

Vivian Ridge had brown hair and brown eyes and stood around 6 feet 2 inches tall. Her appearance was accompanied by a gentle and calm personality that matched the quieter lifestyle she preferred throughout much of her life.

Her interests reflected her creative and peaceful nature. Painting naturally remained important, but she also enjoyed gardening, cooking, reading, listening to classical music, and taking nature walks. These activities allowed her to enjoy creativity beyond traditional artwork.

Nature was especially compatible with the artistic environment surrounding Vivian’s life. Her personal interests suggest someone who appreciated simple activities, peaceful surroundings, and creative expression. She remained far less interested in celebrity attention than in everyday personal life.

Vivian Ridge’s Financial Life

Vivian Ridge’s financial background remained mostly private because she did not live as a highly visible celebrity. Her estimated net worth has been placed at approximately $1 million, reflecting her assets and financial position during her lifetime.

Her financial situation may have included her own earnings, personal assets, and resources connected with her earlier marriage. Vivian also had an artistic background and was later associated with other professional interests, including possible work within real estate.

Money was never the central reason people remembered Vivian. Her connection with art, marriage to Bob Ross, and role as Steve Ross’s mother attracted much greater interest. She lived more quietly than the celebrity world surrounding her former husband.

Her Final Years and Death

Vivian Ridge spent her later years away from major public attention. She maintained the privacy that had defined much of her life after separating from Bob Ross. North Carolina remained closely connected with her during her final years.

Vivian died on May 3, 2018, at approximately 71 years old. Her death followed a battle with cancer. By then, many years had passed since her former husband Bob Ross died from lymphoma complications in July 1995.

Her passing brought an end to a life closely connected with art but largely lived outside celebrity culture. Although Bob became internationally recognized, Vivian followed a different path based around family, personal interests, creativity, and privacy.

Vivian Ridge’s Lasting Legacy

Vivian Ridge holds a unique place in the history of the Ross family. She was Bob Ross’s first wife during an important early stage of his life, but her identity also included her own education, artistic interests, and family responsibilities.

Her greatest family legacy can also be seen through Steve Ross. As the son of two people connected with art, Steve developed into an artist and instructor himself. His work helped continue the creative tradition associated with the Ross family.

Vivian never needed television fame to make art meaningful in her life. From beginning to paint at around twelve to studying art history and raising an artistic son, creativity remained a continuing theme throughout her personal journey.

Final Thoughts

Vivian Ridge is remembered mainly as Bob Ross’s first wife, but her story includes much more than their marriage. She had a personal passion for painting, studied art history, became a mother, and maintained her own connection with creativity.

Her marriage placed her beside Bob during an early stage of his journey, years before his television career made him famous around the world. Their son Steve later carried the family’s strong artistic connection into his own professional life.

Vivian ultimately chose privacy instead of celebrity attention. Her quiet lifestyle, love of art, and role within the Ross family make her an interesting part of Bob Ross’s personal history and artistic legacy.

FAQs About Vivian Ridge

Who was Vivian Ridge?

Vivian Ridge was an American artist best known as the first wife of Bob Ross. She studied art history at Wake Forest University and was also the mother of professional painter Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross.

Why was Vivian Ridge famous?

Vivian Ridge became famous mainly because of her marriage to legendary painter Bob Ross. However, she also had her own interest in painting, studied art history, and lived much of her life privately.

When did Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross get married?

Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross married in 1965 after developing a relationship during her college years. They remained married for approximately twelve years before their relationship ended in divorce in 1977.

Did Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross have a son?

Yes, Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross had one son named Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross. He was born on August 1, 1966, and later followed his family’s artistic path as a painter and instructor.

What did Vivian Ridge do for a living?

Vivian Ridge was an artist and homemaker who developed an interest in painting when she was young. She later studied art history at Wake Forest University and maintained a strong connection with creativity throughout her life.

What was Vivian Ridge’s net worth?

Vivian Ridge’s estimated net worth was around $1 million. Her financial life remained mostly private, while her artistic background, personal assets, and other professional interests contributed to her overall financial position.

When did Vivian Ridge die?

Vivian Ridge died on May 3, 2018, at approximately 71 years old. She spent much of her later life privately in North Carolina and remained away from the public spotlight before her passing.