On Thursday, May 21, 2009, Louise C. Aldridge passed away at Hospice House after a lengthy battle with cancer. Annie Louise Campbell was born November 18, 1933 the sixth of nine children to Clifford and Pearl (Patton) Campbell in Cooleemee, North Carolina, and after the death of her parents, she and her siblings were placed in the Barium Springs Orphanage in Barium Springs, North Carolina in 1940. While there, she met John C. Aldridge, and after graduating as valedictorian of her class in 1952, they were married. John enlisted in the Air Force and she became a certified x-ray technician and worked in that field for several years. They were blessed with three children. In 1960, they came to EAFB and made Rapid City their home. Louise married Jesse Thomas in 1972 and worked for several companies in accounting and secretarial positions.In 1996, John and Louise were re-united in marriage and enjoyed 13 years of retirement until her passing. Louise loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She had a passion for reading, a gift for writing, was an accomplished pianist, loved cooking, and enjoyed gardening with John.Her ever-ready smiles and hugs, her wit, wisdom and humor, and her unconditional love will be forever missed.She is preceded in death by her parents, six siblings and her second husband, Jesse Thomas. She is survived by her husband John, her children, Carol Goodrich (Grayle), John Aldridge (Sheryl), and Alan Aldridge (Kanice), three grandchildren, six great grandchildren, her sister Lois Page, her brother Jim Campbell (Pat), sister-in-law Maggie Linker, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is grateful for her special friends Pete Sigler, Betty Nelson, and Kathy King.