Obituary of Timothy Attridge

Timothy Raymond Attridge, 63, passed away on May 26, 2016, in Maplewood, MN at St. John’s Hospital after more than a decade of living with COPD and emphysema. His body was cremated at Cremation Services of Minneapolis / St Paul over Memorial Day weekend. His wish was to have his ashes shared with family, merged into the waters of Lake Superior by sailboat, and buried at the Attridge Family plot at the Oakland Cemetery in Star Prairie, WI. He was born on August 12, 1952, in St. Paul, MN, to parents Ruth and Raymond E. Attridge. While growing up in St. Paul, his mother was a homemaker and waitress and his father worked the art printing presses at Brown & Bigelow Company. Tim graduated from Highland Park Senior High School in 1970 and studied graphic design and photography at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design from 1971-1974. He married his high-school sweetheart Christine Elert, a graphic designer (later divorced), and in 1983 they had a son – Ray Manning Attridge. Tim was involved in the business of art, cameras and lighting for most of his life. His older brother, Tom Attridge and Tom’s first wife, Jan Rivard Attridge (both fine artists who also attended MCAD) were important influences on his choice of a career path in the arts. Tim worked as a freelance cameraman and lighting director for over 30 years in the motion picture industry and commercial photography. He worked on many feature films, such as Purple Rain, Patti Rocks, The Mighty Ducks (1 & 2), and Iron Will. As the director of photography for hundreds of national television ads, some of his advertising work received industry honors including a CLIO award and Cannes Film Festival Lion awards. Later he teamed with Jim Marvy for architectural projects to design and install the lighting for fine art collections in luxury homes and to design adaptive lighting technologies for people with vision limitations. Tim also created many of his own art photo projects and portraits. He loved to travel and his work took him all over the US and to several other countries – including Costa Rica and Japan. He enjoyed people, good food, and real conversation. Part of a large community of extended family, artists, musicians, and film crew buddies – he had many friends and treasured his close relationships and loves. Tall and slim, yet surprisingly strong, he liked being active and in nature by walking, camping, fishing, and sailing. He liked taking long road trips with his dog and his silver Air-Stream trailer in tow to go “up north” in MN and to vagabond around the warmer climates of Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Proud to have overcome alcohol and cigarette addiction in his late 40s, he was known for having a sunny disposition despite enduring chronic lung disease, depression, financial struggles in his later years and recovery from almost losing his eyesight due to an accident. He had an inquisitive mind and was interested in music, books, physics, meditation, and Buddhist philosophy. Perhaps this positive attitude helped him to live years beyond what was typical for his medical diagnosis. Survived by brother, Tom (and Katie); son, Ray (and Erica); grandsons, Jack and Wolf; and nephew, Mark Attridge (who was a caregiver at the end). He relished being a grandpa and sharing time with family and friends. A true friend, loving father and caring family member - Tim prospered because of his artistic approach, his contemplative inner strength, and his authentic independent spirit. Celebrations of his life and work held on Friday, June 3 from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM at his studio in the Northern Warehouse Artist Coop in St. Paul (#322, 308 Prince St., St. Paul - his residence during last 2 years) - hosted by his son, Ray, and nephew, Mark; and also on Sunday, June 5 from 1:00 PM - Late Evening, at his boyhood family home (2002 James Ave., St Paul) – hosted by his brother, Tom. Photo retrospective on Tim Attridge’s Facebook page.