We regret to announce the passing of Morton Triphagen Eldridge, 89. He was born in Chicago to Clarence and Delany Eldridge, and attended Deerfield Academy before enlisting in the Navy during WWII. He attended the University of Michigan, receiving two engineering and law degrees. On graduation he joined the Air Force, piloting jets in California and France before joining McDonnell Aircraft in St Louis in 1959 along with the Missouri National Guard.
Mort transferred to Huntsville in 1966 as part of McDonnell Douglas’ part in the space program, and later moved to Teledyne Brown in 1972 to head marketing and engineering efforts for defense, especially his Phantom Range, a next-generation cockpit training simulator. He retired in 1992 from both Teledyne and the National Guard as full Colonel. He was immensely proud of his part in US defense including three decades piloting F-86, F100 and F-4 jets, as well as a life of learning, and remained deeply attached to his adoptive home of Alabama where he spent his last 50 years.
He was married twice with three sons from his first marriage – one son Bob since deceased, and survived by Jim Eldridge with wife Patti of Huntsville, along with Bill Eldridge with wife Elina and their two daughters Erzsika and Zuleika in Prague.
A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, June 5, 2016 at Ditto Landing Main Pavillion. Dress is informal.
