Pete Pridgeon (PT ’59)

Pete (Louis Gene) Pridgeon who was a 1957 graduate of the Mayo Clinic Physical Therapy School. He was born April 10, 1934 to George and June (Ware) Pridgeon in Newcastle WY and spent his childhood in Belle Fourche SD graduating from high school there in 1952. He then received his bachelor's degree from Black Hills State University before being accepted into the Mayo Program.

He was the first physical therapist in Oklahoma to be licensed for private practice and maintained his practice in Bartlesville OK for 38 years, retiring in 1996. Both during his active practice and after retirement he offered his services as well to small community nursing homes, travelling throughout the eastern part of Oklahoma.

He was mentor to many younger people who went on to become physical therapists often taking them into his practice upon graduation from accredited programs.

Pete died August 19th, 2017 in Tulsa, OK. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, two sons, Randy and Rodney Pridgeon, two stepsons, John and Joe Perry, and daughter-in-law Suzie Perry plus grandchildren and great-grandchildren, sisters Doris Grosz, Sharon Hoidahl, and Karen Burkard. He was preceded in death by his parents, an infant brother, Larry, and a stepson James. 

 Submitted by his sister, Sharon Hoidahl