Jay E. Aldridge, Jr.

Jay E. Aldridge, Jr. passed away at his home on January 21, 2023, surrounded by his family after a brief illness.  He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on May 27, 1957 to the late Jay E. Aldridge, Sr. and Lorraine A. Aldridge.

Jay was raised in Cambridge and graduated from Cambridge High School in 1975.  He was a star tennis player for the Cambridge Raiders and he received a full college scholarship.

Jay went on to attend Atlantic Christian College in Wilson, North Carolina (now Barton College).  He graduated in 1979 with a B.S. in Business Administration.  While at Atlantic Christian, Jay helped propel the tennis team to three straight Carolinas Conference team titles and three straight NAIA District titles, with AC finishing 15th, 10th, and 2nd nationally.  His three-year singles record was an impressive 67-14.  In 1978 he received All-American Honorable Mention honors and was a three-year running Carolinas Conference flight champion.  He was named on NAIA All District three times and in 1978 won the Carolinas Conference doubles championship.  In 1994 Jay was inducted into the Barton College Athletic Hall of Fame.

Jay dedicated his professional life to growing and teaching the game of tennis. Fresh out of college, Jay became a tennis instructor at the recently-built Bay Country Racquet Club in Cambridge, MD, and he continued to teach there ever since. Jay’s reputation as an outstanding instructor preceded him and attracted students from all over the region to come and learn from one of the greats. Every student left the court knowing a little more about tennis and many left with a lifelong friend. He helped form many high school and college champions and inspired some of his former students to become tennis pros. Jay had an incredible memory for names and numbers.  He was an avid sports fan but most notably a huge University of Maryland Terrapins fan. Jay also dedicated his life to his dogs and taking care of each of them in the best way possible, walking thousands of miles around town with them.

Jay is survived by a sister Amy Wohl and brother-in-law Eric, and nephew Matt Wohl, all of Columbia, Maryland, and his niece and godchild Alex Wohl of Ellicott City, Maryland, and several cousins. He is also survived by numerous close friends and by his four-legged corgi companion Tanner.  Besides his parents, he is predeceased by grandparents Emerson Henry Anderson and Ottilee Hoge Anderson of Cambridge.

A celebration of life will be held at the VFW #7460 at 115 Sandy Hill Road, Cambridge, MD, on Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the James G. Busick Tennis Foundation, P.O. Box 904, Cambridge, MD 21613, or BARCS, 2490 Giles Road, Baltimore, MD 21225. Arrangements are in the care of the Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. in Cambridge.