Edwin T. Willdridge
Agency patch
Captain

Edwin T. Willdridge

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Illness
End of Watch January 6, 1951
Age 64
Tour of Duty 42 yrs 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 87 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Captain Edwin Willdridge suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage while overseeing a police detail that was attempting to maintain order during a strike involving 500 female employees of the Bell Telephone Company at 19th Street and Arch Street.

The striking employees caused several small skirmishes throughout the day and began to attack a woman they believed was crossing the picket line. Captain Willdridge, along with six officers, went to the woman's aid and rescued her from the strikers.

Captain Willdridge collapsed moments later. He was transported to the police clinic and then to Philadelphia General Hospital, where he died the following morning.

Captain Willdridge had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 42 years and was assigned to the 9th District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

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Tributes

42 years. You could have gone home.
Captain Willdridge gave the Philadelphia Police Department 42 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Willdridge.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 6, 1951
Tour of Duty 42 yrs 8 mo
Age 64
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

The Sacrifice · Illness

Edwin is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1951, 1 officer in the United States was lost to illness, the 75th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Edwin was 64. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Edwin had served 42.6 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

January holds 9.5% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Saturdays: 13.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Edwin among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Captain Edwin T. Willdridge

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch January 6, 1951

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 63-E

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