What Happened To Bob Ross’s First Wife Vivian Ridge? Untold Facts

Vivian Ridge was an American native who shot to fame as an ex-wife of the late American legendary painter Bob Ross. Besides being a painter, he was also an art instructor and television host who appeared in several TV shows like The Joan Rivers Show and Phil Donahue Show. In addition, he also hosted the show The Joy of Painting, which was created by himself.

The celebrity spouse and her ex-husband celebrated their marriage for more than a decade. Vivian Ridge was the first wife of Bob Ross and the former couple was in a relationship when they were still a teenager. Furthermore, the ex-husband and wife shared a son together in their marital bliss. However, the pair ended up divorcing after a long courtship.

So, when did Vivian and Ross marry? What is their son doing now? Is Bob Ross’s ex-wife still alive? Look into the article below to find out detailed information about Bob Ross’s first wife; Vivian Ridge.

Vivian Ridge Ross Wiki; Where Was She Born?

The celebrity wife was an ordinary person who came to the limelight as an ex-wife of the famous American painter Bob Ross. She was born in America and belonged to a Caucasian ethnic background with American nationality.

Meanwhile, since her ex-husband wasn’t popular when the couple tied knots, there is no information about her early life in the media. Furthermore, her birthdate and family are also not revealed yet.

Who Is Vivian Ridge’s Ex-husband, Bob Ross?

Vivian Ridge was the first wife of Bob Ross (born Robert Norman Ross). He was a painter, art instructor, and television host who appeared in several TV shows like The Joan Rivers Show, Phil Donahue Show, and more. In addition, he also hosted the show The Joy of Painting, which was created by himself. He has painted around 30,000 paintings in his life span.

Nevertheless, Ross never thought he would end up being a painter. That’s why he was indulging in other professions and even worked as a carpenter. But later in 1961, he was in the United States Air Force serving as a medical records technician. Subsequently, he got promoted and served as the first sergeant at Eielson Air Force Base’s clinic.

While he was working in Air Force, he also worked as a bartender side by side. During that time, he attended an art class at the Anchorage U.S.O. club and gradually developed his interest in painting. He then saw the TV show “The Magic of Oil Painting,” hosted by Bill Alexander, and was curious about it. Mastering the technique he taught in the show called all prima (aka wet-on-wet), he began his career as a professional artist.

When Did Vivian And Ross Marry?

The ex-husband and wife came across when they were teenagers probably after he dropped out of high school. The former lovers then walked down the aisle in 1965, after dating for a while.

They lived their married life together for more than a decade. Following their wedding, they also welcomed their only son after a  year. However, the love between the lovebirds remained no more.

The then-husband and wife decided to part ways because of some irreconcilable differences. Some sources even said that Ross wasn’t faithful in the relationship which led to the detachment. Yet, the actual reason was not clear. The former couple divorced in the year 1977 after twelve years of nuptials.

Having said that, like her other personal information, the exact date of the pair’s wedding and divorce isn’t available in the media. Also, her ex-hubby Ross, respecting her privacy, hasn’t talked about anything related to her. In fact, he hasn’t even revealed how the couple first met.

Her Ex-Hubby Bob Was Married Thrice

While there are no details of Vivian’s relationship with anyone before and after her husband Bob, but he had two more wives. He married three times in his life.

His first wife was Vivian Ridge from 1965 to 1977. After a few months of divorce, Ross then exchanged vows with his second wife Jane Ross in 1977 but she died in 1992. He then again welcomed his third wife Lynda Brown into his life in 1995 just two months before he died.

What Happened To Bob Ross’s First Wife Vivian Ridge?

After the separation from Bob, Vivian lived separately, with her son. Unfortunately, she passed away after some years of their divorce leaving her son with his father to look after him.

As a matter of fact, it was after Vivian’s death that the dad and son became close, spending more time together. Ross then took responsibility and raised Steve as a single father.

Vivian Ridge And B0b Ross’ Son Is Also A Painter

As we mentioned earlier, the pair became parents to a son during their relationship. They welcomed their son on August 1, 1966, and named him Robert Stephen Ross. He is now a professional painter who is popular as Steve Ross.

Steve lost his mom when he was young. So, growing up, he spent most of his time with his dad. Steve used to see his father’s paintings and had an interest in them. Thus, he also learned the artwork from Ross and made his career in painting following in his dad’s footsteps. He even appeared in his dad’s show “The Joy of Painting.”

Sad to say, but his father also died in 1995 when he was only 28 years old. The kid lost both his mom and dad when he was still young.

How Did Vivian Ridge’s Ex-spouse, Bob Ross Died?

Bob Ross passed away untimely, at 52 years old. He took his last breath on July 4, 1995, in Orlando, Florida, U.S. He was diagnosed with lymphoma the same year and was given only a few months to live. It is cancer that affects the lymphatic system of a person.

Even before this, he used to suffer from various other diseases. As he used to smoke cigarettes, maybe it was the reason for his suffering.

Net Worth

Since the profession of Bob Ross’s first wife is still under wraps, her total income is also unknown. Meanwhile, her ex-husband, the legendary painter and famous TV host Bob Ross had amassed a good fortune in his career. He was a millionaire with a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death.