Vivian Ridge, known as Vicky, is best known as the first wife of TV painter Bob Ross, host of PBS’s The Joy of Painting. The two married in 1965, early in his Air Force career, and divorced in 1977. She is the mother of his only son, Steve Ross, who later appeared on the show and carried on his father’s painting technique.
Bob Ross is one of the most beloved figures in American TV history. His soft voice, permed hair, and “happy little trees” still win new fans online every year. But long before PBS, he was a young Air Force airman with a wife and a baby.
That wife was Vivian “Vicky” Ridge. This article covers how they met, their years in Alaska, their son, and how she remembered Bob decades later.
Quick Facts: Vivian Ridge
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Vivian Ridge (known as Vicky) |
| Known as | Bob Ross’s first wife |
| Married | 1965 |
| Divorced | 1977 |
| Son | Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross |
| Met Bob | Early in his Air Force service (as reported) |
| Documentary | Appeared in Netflix’s Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed (2021), per reports |
| Birth date | Not publicly confirmed |
| Hometown | Not publicly confirmed |
| Career | Not confirmed |
| Net worth | Not publicly confirmed |
Who Is Vivian Ridge?
Vivian Ridge is the woman Bob Ross married in 1965. Bob’s Wikipedia page lists her by that name. Entertainment outlets like The Cinemaholic and Grunge call her Vicky, the name she seems to go by.
She was married to Bob for about 12 years. Those years came long before he became a TV star.
She’s also the mother of Steve Ross, the son who later became part of Bob’s painting legacy.
The Young Airman Vicky Met
Bob Ross was born Robert Norman Ross on October 29, 1942, in Daytona Beach, Florida, and grew up in Orlando. In 1961, at about 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force.
The Cinemaholic and Grunge report that he met Vicky not long after he enlisted. How exactly they met hasn’t been shared.
At the time, he wasn’t a painter yet. He was a young man starting a military career.
A 1965 Wedding Before Alaska
Vicky and Bob married in 1965, according to Wikipedia. The Cinemaholic reports that the wedding came just as Bob was due to report to an Air Force base in Alaska.
That base was Eielson Air Force Base, near Fairbanks. Bob was stationed there for years.
It’s where he first saw the snowy mountains and evergreen forests that would later fill his paintings.
A Son Arrives
The Cinemaholic reports that Vicky became pregnant soon after the wedding. Their son, Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross, was born in the years that followed.
Steve grew up while his father served in the Air Force and slowly discovered painting.
He would later become one of the most important people in Bob’s professional life.
Painting at All Hours
Vicky later shared a memory of those early years. According to The Cinemaholic and Grunge, she recalled that Bob painted often, sometimes for long hours, even late at night before early shifts.
That habit would one day turn into a TV career. Back then, it was just a passionate hobby in a busy household.
Bob had learned the fast wet-on-wet technique from Bill Alexander’s TV show The Magic of Oil Painting, according to Wikipedia.
The Air Force Years
Bob spent 20 years in the Air Force, retiring in 1981 as a master sergeant, according to Wikipedia. His job often required him to be tough and loud.
He later said he never wanted to yell again after leaving the service. That gentle on-screen voice was the result.
Vicky knew the earlier, military version of Bob, before the calm TV persona.
The End of the Marriage
Vicky and Bob divorced in 1977, according to Wikipedia. They had been married about 12 years.
Some reports give reasons for the split, but none have been confirmed by the family. Neither shared a detailed public account at the time.
That same year, Bob married his second wife, Jane.
Bob Ross’s Later Marriages
Bob married Jane Ross in 1977. She died of cancer in 1992, according to Wikipedia.
In 1995, Bob married Lynda Brown, just two months before his own death.
Through all of it, Vicky remained the mother of his only son.
The Joy of Painting
The Joy of Painting premiered on PBS on January 11, 1983, and ran until May 17, 1994, according to Wikipedia. It was taped at WIPB in Muncie, Indiana.
In each episode, Bob painted a complete landscape in about half an hour. His calm encouragement, “We don’t make mistakes, just happy accidents,” became legendary.
The show made him a household name long after his marriage to Vicky ended.
Steve Ross on The Joy of Painting
Steve, Vicky’s son with Bob, appeared on The Joy of Painting several times, including the Season 1 finale, according to Wikipedia.
He became a certified Bob Ross instructor, teaching his father’s technique to others.
For fans, seeing father and son paint together was one of the show’s warmest moments.
Bob Ross’s Death and Legacy
Bob died on July 4, 1995, in Orlando, from complications of lymphoma, according to Wikipedia. He was 52. He had kept his illness private.
His will left his estate and name rights to Steve and his half-brother, Jimmie Cox. Business partners Annette and Walt Kowalski of Bob Ross Inc. contested the will, and a later settlement gave the company the rights to his name and likeness.
That dispute became the focus of a 2021 documentary.
Vicky in the Netflix Documentary
In August 2021, Netflix released Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed. According to The Cinemaholic and Grunge, Vicky appeared in it, remembering Bob fondly.
Steve also took part in the documentary.
For many viewers, it was the first time they had heard from Bob’s first wife.
Clearing Up the Confusion About Vivian Ridge
Many websites write about Vivian Ridge with details that aren’t confirmed. Here is what to keep in mind.
Her name. Wikipedia lists Vivian Ridge. Many outlets use Vicky Ross or Vicky Ridge.
Her career. Some sites say she was a nurse or had another specific job. No trusted source confirms it.
The divorce. Reasons given online are not confirmed by the family.
Her age. Birth dates and ages online are unconfirmed.
Net worth. Any figure is a guess.
Why Vivian Ridge Stayed Out of the Spotlight
Vicky’s marriage to Bob ended six years before his show began. She was never part of his TV career.
For decades, she lived a private life. Her appearance in the 2021 documentary was a rare public moment.
That long silence, then a gentle remembrance, says a lot about how she has chosen to tell her part of the story.
Vivian Ridge Today
As of 2026, Vicky keeps a mostly private life. The Cinemaholic reported in 2021 that she lived in Orlando and shared memories of Bob online, but her current details aren’t confirmed.
Her son, Steve, continues to be part of his father’s legacy as a teacher of the Bob Ross method.
Bob’s paintings and episodes keep reaching new fans, decades after his death.
Final Thoughts
Many famous artists have a “before” chapter that the public never sees. For Bob Ross, that chapter included long Alaskan winters, Air Force shifts, a young wife, and a baby son. It was the soil his later work grew from.
Vicky Ridge knew him before the perm, the PBS studio, and the happy little trees. She saw him paint late into the night when no one else was watching. Decades later, she remembered him kindly.
Maybe that’s the gentlest kind of legacy. Not fame, but the quiet memory of someone who believed in their art before anyone else did.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Who is Vivian Ridge?
Vivian Ridge, known as Vicky, is Bob Ross’s first wife. They were married from 1965 to 1977.
Did Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross have children?
Yes. They had a son, Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross, who appeared on The Joy of Painting and became a certified instructor.
When did Vivian Ridge marry Bob Ross?
They married in 1965, around the time Bob reported to an Air Force base in Alaska.
Was Vivian Ridge in the Bob Ross Netflix documentary?
According to reports, yes. She appeared in Bob Ross: Happy Accidents, Betrayal & Greed (2021) and remembered Bob fondly.
How many times was Bob Ross married?
Three times: to Vivian “Vicky” Ridge (1965 to 1977), Jane Ross (1977 until her death in 1992), and Lynda Brown (1995).
You may also read: Andrea Skeete: The Mother Behind George Foreman III and a Champion’s Quiet Years
Want more honest stories about the people behind famous names? Keep following Trendify Magazines for well researched profiles you won’t find anywhere else.
