Most people know Bob Ross for his calm voice, his soft afro, and his “happy little trees.” But long before he picked up a paintbrush on TV, he was a young man in the U.S. Air Force with a wife at home. Her name was Vivian Ridge.
Vivian Ridge was Bob Ross’ first wife. She was married to him for over ten years, long before the world knew who he was. She also became the mother of his only son, Steve Ross, who later became a painter himself.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Vivian Ridge |
| Known For | First wife of painter and TV host Bob Ross |
| Nationality | American |
| Marriage to Bob Ross | 1965 |
| Divorce from Bob Ross | 1977 |
| Marriage Length | About 12 years |
| Children | One son, Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross (born August 1, 1966) |
| Bob Ross’ Job During Marriage | U.S. Air Force (later became a full-time painter) |
| Public Life | Very private; no known interviews or public appearances |
| Later Life | Largely undocumented; details vary between sources |
Who Was Vivian Ridge?
Vivian Ridge was an American woman who became known mainly through her marriage to Bob Ross, the painter who later hosted The Joy of Painting on PBS. She was not a public figure. She did not act, model, or work in television. Her connection to fame came only through the man she married and, later, through their son.
Bob Ross married Vivian in 1965. At that time, he was serving in the United States Air Force, stationed in Alaska. He had not yet started painting for a living, and The Joy of Painting was still many years away. This means Vivian knew Bob during his quiet, early years, long before “happy little trees” became a household phrase.
Little solid information exists about Vivian’s childhood, her family, or her life before she met Bob. Some websites claim she studied art at a university, or that she was born in a specific city on a specific date. However, these claims often do not match from one source to another, so they should be treated with caution rather than as confirmed fact.
Life With Bob Ross
During their marriage, Bob Ross was still building his career in the military. He worked as a drill instructor and served for about 20 years before retiring from the Air Force in the early 1980s. Painting was, at first, just something he did in his free time, inspired by the landscapes of Alaska.
Vivian and Bob’s shared home life during this period was mostly private. Bob rarely spoke about his personal life in public, even after he became famous, so very few details about their day-to-day marriage were ever recorded. What is generally agreed upon is that the couple had one child together.
Their Son, Steve Ross
On August 1, 1966, Vivian and Bob welcomed their only son, Robert Stephen Ross, who became known as Steve Ross. Steve grew up around painting, watching his father develop the wet-on-wet oil painting technique that would later make Bob Ross famous.
As an adult, Steve followed in his father’s footsteps. He trained as a certified painting instructor and even appeared on The Joy of Painting, including in an episode from the show’s first season, where he answered viewer questions. Steve later became involved in a long legal dispute over control of the Bob Ross brand, a case that brought public attention back to the Ross family many years after Bob’s death.
The Divorce
Bob Ross and Vivian Ridge divorced in 1977, ending a marriage that had lasted around 12 years. The exact reasons behind the split were never made fully public. Some sources mention general “differences” between the couple, while a few mention rumors of infidelity. Since neither Bob nor Vivian discussed the divorce openly, none of these reasons can be confirmed with certainty.
What is clear is that 1977 was a turning point in Bob Ross’ life. It was around this time that he also met Jane Lee Zanardelli, a student in one of his painting classes. Jane became his second wife and later his business partner, helping him build what would grow into the Bob Ross art and television brand. Jane passed away from cancer in 1992.
What Happened to Vivian Ridge After the Divorce?
This is where Vivian’s story becomes hard to follow. After the divorce, she stepped away from anything connected to Bob Ross’ public life and never returned to it. She gave no interviews, made no public statements about her ex-husband’s later fame, and was not photographed at any of the events tied to The Joy of Painting.
Because of this, much of what is written online about her later years is uncertain or simply guesswork. You may come across claims that she moved to Florida, worked in real estate, or continued painting as a hobby. Other pages give different, sometimes conflicting, dates for when she passed away, ranging from the late 1980s to as recent as 2018. None of these details come from a verified, first-hand source, so readers should treat them as unconfirmed rumors rather than solid history.
This lack of information is not unusual. Vivian was married to Bob Ross before he became famous, and she chose privacy after their split. She lived most of her adult life outside of the media spotlight, in an era before social media, when it was much easier for a private person to stay private.
Why So Little Is Known About Her
It helps to remember that Vivian Ridge was never a celebrity herself. She became connected to fame only because of who she married, not because of anything she did in public. Bob Ross also kept his personal life very separate from his television career. He almost never spoke about his marriages, his childhood, or his family struggles on air, choosing instead to focus on painting and encouraging his viewers.
This combination, a private woman and a private man, means that very few facts about Vivian’s life were ever written down at the time. Most of what appears about her today was created years later, often pieced together from short mentions in articles about Bob Ross or Steve Ross, rather than from Vivian’s own words.
Vivian Ridge’s Legacy
Even though Vivian Ridge stayed out of the spotlight, her place in the Bob Ross story is real. She was his partner during the years before fame, when he was still a young airman with a growing interest in painting. She was also the mother of Steve Ross, who carried the family’s connection to art forward and later played a central role in the legal fight over the Bob Ross name and brand.
In many ways, Vivian’s story is a reminder that behind every famous person, there are ordinary people who were simply living their lives, long before anyone thought to write their story down.
Conclusion
Vivian Ridge was Bob Ross’ first wife, married to him from 1965 to 1977, during the years before he became known for The Joy of Painting. Together they had one son, Steve Ross, who later became a painter in his own right. Beyond these basic facts, much of Vivian’s life remains unclear, since she never spoke publicly and kept a private life both during and after her marriage. What we do know is enough to understand her role: she was part of Bob Ross’ life during his quieter, formative years, and through her son, her connection to his legacy continues today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Vivian Ridge?
Vivian Ridge was the first wife of Bob Ross, the American painter and TV host known for The Joy of Painting. She married him in 1965 and was his wife for about 12 years.
When did Vivian Ridge marry Bob Ross?
She married Bob Ross in 1965, while he was serving in the U.S. Air Force and had not yet become known as a painter.
Did Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross have children?
Yes. They had one son together, Robert Stephen “Steve” Ross, born on August 1, 1966. Steve later became a certified painting instructor.
Why did Vivian Ridge and Bob Ross get divorced?
The couple divorced in 1977. The exact reasons were never made public, though some accounts mention general differences or rumors of infidelity, neither of which has ever been officially confirmed.
Was Vivian Ridge an artist?
Some sources describe her as having an interest in art or painting, but there is no strong, confirmed record of her having a professional art career of her own.
What did Vivian Ridge do after her divorce?
This is largely unknown. She stayed out of public life after separating from Bob Ross, and reliable details about her later years, including where she lived or what work she did, have not been confirmed.
Is Vivian Ridge still alive?
It is not clear. Different sources give very different dates for her passing, and none of them can be verified, so her current status remains unconfirmed.
Did Vivian Ridge ever appear on The Joy of Painting?
No. Vivian was never part of Bob Ross’ television career. Their son, Steve, appeared on the show, but Vivian stayed away from the public eye entirely.
Who did Bob Ross marry after Vivian Ridge?
After divorcing Vivian in 1977, Bob Ross married Jane Lee Zanardelli, who later became his business partner. Jane passed away in 1992. Bob’s third wife was Lynda Brown, whom he married shortly before his own death in 1995.
Why is there so little information about Vivian Ridge?
Vivian was a private person who was married to Bob Ross before he became famous. She never gave interviews and avoided public attention both during and after their marriage, which is why so few verified details about her life exist today.
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