What Happened To Vivian Ridge, Bob Ross's First Wife? All The Details

Boy meets girl, marries her, and they live happily ever after - nothing could be better. Unfortunately, in real life, true love is not always linear. While commitment, proper communication, and hard work are known to glue marriages, it is not always the case for all of them. Some end with divorce, as with Bob Ross and his first wife. But what happened to Vivian Ridge? And where is she now?

Vivian Ridge was a highly-acclaimed American artist. Even with a successful career, she rose to fame for being the first wife of Bob Ross, a legendary American painter. He also doubled up as a television personality and art teacher.

Vivian Ridge’s profile summary

Who was Vivian Ridge?

Vivian was an American celebrity wife and artist. Before tying the knot with the renowned painter Bob Ross, she lived away from the limelight. She was born and raised in the United States and held a Caucasian-white ethnical background.

Since her life was away from the public, there are no details about Bob Ross' first wife’s personal life. Her parents, siblings, and upbringing are unknown. Vivian started painting as a hobby when she was only 12. She went to Wake Forest University to pursue a degree in art history.

Who was Vivian Ridge's husband, Bob Ross?

Vivian was Bob Ross' first wife. Bob Ross was a well-recognized American painter, TV personality, and art teacher. He was famous for appearing in television shows such as The Phil Donahue Show and The Joan Rivers Show. He also created and hosted The Joy of Painting show.

When did Bob Ross and Vivian Ridge first meet? There are no publicly known details about when they first met. However, they met while Vivian was pursuing her further studies. Thus, they are college sweethearts. They dated for a while before walking down the aisle in 1965.

Until her demise, Vivian stayed single after divorcing Bob. On the other hand, her ex-husband was lucky to find love a few more times. The painter married twice, and his other spouses after Vivian were:

Jane Lee Zanardelli

After divorcing Vivian, Bob married Jane Lee, a painter. She was interested in learning oil painting from Bob, and therefore, she became his student. They fell in love during their painting sessions and tied the knot in 1977.

The two became business partners, with Jane helping Bob grow and run their business empire in arts. Unfortunately, Jane was diagnosed with cancer and succumbed to it in 1992 in Florida. She passed away three years before Bob.

Her untimely death was a hard time for the painter. He took some time off and stopped filming The Joy of Painting. The two were together for 15 years, his longest marriage.

Lynda Brown Ross

Three years after the death of his second wife, Bob tied the knot with Lynda Brown. The two met while she was working as a nurse. They dated for a few months before exchanging their wedding vows.

Unfortunately, the marriage lasted only a few months since Bob succumbed to lymphoma complications in July 1995. Where is Bob Ross’ wife now? Since the divorce, Lynda chose to keep her life away from the public. Her whereabouts are unknown.

Vivian and Bob’s children

Bob Ross' ex-wife and the painter's son, Robert Stephen Ross, was born on 1st August 1966. When he stayed with his father after his mother's death, Robert became interested in painting. He learnt the craft from the best, making him today's outstanding painter.

Even though his official name is Robert Stephen Ross, his professional moniker as a painter is Steve Ross. He once appeared on his father's TV show, The Joy of Painting. Steve has sold many masterpieces and is a certified painting instructor in the wet-on-wet technique.

What happened to Vivian Ridge’s son after her mother’s death? He developed a close bond with his father since they started spending more time together. His father took responsibility and raised him as a single father.

Stephen's father passed away on 4th July 1995 in Orlando, Florida, USA. He was diagnosed with lymphoma the same year and only had a few months to live. He died at 52, while Stephen was only 28. Where is Steve Ross now? The professional painter lives in New York City.

What happened to Vivian Ridge?

The celebrity wife divorced her partner. It is alleged that the two were experiencing irreconcilable differences even though neither Vivian nor Bob came out to offer more information on the cause of their divorce.

The two parted ways in 1977 after being together for 12 years. Stephen was only 11 when his parents divorced. He stayed with his mother until her death, after which he lived with his father, who raised him single-handedly. There is no information about Vivian's cause and date of death.

Vivian Ridge’s fast facts

1. Who was Vivian Ridge? Vivian Ridge was an American artist and celebrity wife known for being the first wife of Bob Ross.
2. Is Vivian Ridge still alive? Vivian Ridge is not alive. She passed away shortly after divorcing the legendary American painter.
3. Where did Vivian Ridge go to school? Bob Ross' spouse enrolled at Wake Forest University after completing her primary and high school education. She pursued a degree in art history.
4. Who was Vivian Ridge married to? Vivian Ridge married Bob Ross, a renowned American painter, TV personality, and art teacher.
5. What happened to Vivian Ridge? Vivian Ridge divorced her husband, citing irreconcilable differences.
6. How long were Bob Ross and Vivian Ridge married? Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross were married for 12 years. They exchanged their wedding vows in 1965 and divorced in 1977.
7. What happened to Vivian Ridge’s son after her death? Vivian Ridge left her son with his father, Bon Ross, who raised him single-handedly until he died in 1995.
8. How did Vivian Ridge’s ex-husband die? Vivian Ridge’s ex-husband succumbed to lymphoma on 4th July 1995 in Orlando, Florida, USA. He died at 52.

Final word on Vivian Ridge

What happened to Vivian Ridge, Bob Ross's first wife? Vivian divorced her husband after being married for more than a decade. Even though the two were long-time lovers, they had irreconcilable differences leading to divorce. The duo had a son, Steve Ross.

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