John Riddick Obituary

John deVeaux Riddick RICHMOND, VA - John deVeaux Riddick died peacefully Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in his home at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. He was born May 30, 1925 in Charleston, S.C. to Marian deVeaux Riddick and Frank Cary Riddick. During the Second World War, he served in the U. S. Army in Italy as a sergeant in the 2075th Engineer Aviation Utilities Detachment and was awarded numerous citations, including the Good Conduct Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. Following his service, he studied commercial art at Richmond Professional Institute of the College of William and Mary (now Virginia Commonwealth University) and graduated in 1950. He then returned to Charleston where he developed interest in theatre through the Footlight Players and the Historic Dock Street Theatre, where he performed, built and painted sets. He returned to Richmond in 1952 where, with partner the late Robert Watkins, created Design, Richmond's first contemporary/modern interior decorating firm which continued in business for 50 years. Throughout deVeaux's life, numerous theatrical productions in the Richmond area valued and greatly benefited from his skills in acting, set design, and construction, including Richmond Summer Theatre, The Barksdale, The Children's Theatre, Richmond Opera Company, Swift Creek Mill, Theatre IV, and Dogwood Dell. He and Watkins created The Theatre at the Bolling Haxall House which led to The Woman's Club's non-profit status. For over 25 years he designed scenery for The Theatre at The Bolling-Haxall House and acted in many productions as well. He was designer for Ballet Impromptu and in 1963, with the creation of The Richmond Ballet, served as technical director. In 1976 he helped create The Concert Ballet of Virginia which continues to this day. For 62 years he shared his expertise in designing and implementing the Bal du Bois, the annual fundraising gala ball of the Junior Board of Sheltering Arms Hospital. In 2015, he was awarded the Liz Marks Memorial Award by Richmond Theatre Critics Circle for unique and ongoing contribution to Richmond Theatre and the Theresa Pollak Prize for Excellence in the Arts. In January 2019, he was awarded the Virginia Excellence in Theatre Award (VET), honoring his decades as a cornerstone of Richmond's cultural community. Interment will be in Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S.C. For those wishing to honor deVeaux's memory, please make a donation to The Concert Ballet of Virginia, P.O. Box 25501, Richmond, Va. 23260. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston