Bernard H. Ridder Jr.

85, a third-generation newspaper executive who spent the years after college moving westward to help manage Ridder Publications' new properties and eventually rose to be the company's president and chief executive, died Thursday at his home in San Mateo, Calif.

In 1974, Mr. Ridder helped engineer the merger of Ridder Publications with Knight Newspapers and served as vice chairman and chairman of the executive committee of the combined company.

Mr. Ridder's two sons, Peter Ridder and P. Anthony Ridder, followed him into the business. Peter Ridder is the publisher of The Charlotte Observer and P. Anthony Ridder is chairman and chief executive of Knight Ridder.