Parker and Katherine Root welcomed their youngest daughter Natalie Katherine Root into the world on November 4th 1924. Natalie had two older sisters Charlene and Elenor-May. Natalie was born in Los Angeles CA and was the 3rd generation born in CA. She grew up in Los Angeles and the Root family attended the LA Presbyterian Church where Natalie sang in the choir at a very early age.
Natalie attended Los Angeles High School where she met her high school sweetheart Harry G. Nichols, Jr. in the 10th grade. They were married during World War II on July 31, 1943. Natalie was married in the living room of the house she was born in.
Harry was drafted right out of high school on his 18th birthday. They knew this was going to happen so he attended night school to get his diploma. They got married 6 weeks after high school graduation and Natalie got a job at Lockheed Aircraft Factory right out of high school. She delivered blueprints on roller skates. All the employees got to see the first jet plan being built and flown over the factory and it was a big event.
Harry and Natalie lived in Tonapa Nevada and Bishop CA. Harry never served overseas as his appendix burst right before his division shipped out. After the war they moved back to Los Angeles where they purchased their first home in Northridge, CA (San Fernando Valley) which was considered out in the sticks.
In 1946 Natalie gave birth to her first child, a son who passed 24 hours after he was born. In 1950 Carolyn Jean was born. She lived with Cystic Fibrosis and passed away at age 20 in 1970. Natalie had a miscarriage in 1953. After being advised not to have anymore children Deanna Kay was born in Feb 10, 1956.
After raising two daughters in the Northridge house and working 30 years with the department of water and power Harry and Natalie purchased their dream retirement home in Morro Bay in 1979. In those first years of
retirement Natalie taught herself how to play the auto harp. She was in her late 50’s. Harry only got 4 years in the Piney Way house before passing away of cancer in 1982 at the age of 58.
The next chapter for Natalie was the single life. She traveled and led worship for Women’s Aglow. One of her greatest joys was learning to square dance. She was a great seamstress and made all her square dance dresses. It wasn’t long before she met her second husband Bob Bridges at a square dance. They married in 1985 but Bob tragically died 11 weeks after they were married of a massive heart attack. Shocked and heart broken Natalie was single again.
This new chapter in life had Natalie helping to start up singles groups in churches. However, the biggest adventure was renting rooms out of her home. She had a 2nd story addition added to the home in 1986.
Natalie always said, “I should have written a book about the crazy years renting rooms.” At one time her house was like the Golden Girls. My mom being “Rose”. She rented to both men and women but said men were better renters. Far less drama.
Still leading worship and square dancing she met and married her 3rd husband Wayne Landrum in 1994. They both loved to go camping and traveled all over the wester US in their 5th wheel rig with their 2 cats. Wayne and Natalie were very involved in Full Gospel Business Men’s Group. In 2004 Natalie divorced Wayne. The joke was Natalie’s name. Natalie Root Nichols Bridges Landrum so she changed it to a simple Natalie N Bridges.
For the next 8 years she rented the upstairs apartment. Natalie was thrilled to rent the upstairs to Harold Ritter a pastor who led amazing bible studies for almost 4 years until he moved out. After her last renter Natalie started having health issues. She had a pacemaker placed and then 4 additional hospital stays in 2013-2014 for bowel blockages she was
told she only had around 6 months to live so her daughter Deanna and son in law David moved in to care for her. They did this so she could stay in her home. No one thought she would go on for 7 more years.
Until her fall on August 19th 2020 Natalie was able to live in her home for 41 years.
Throughout her life Natalie was a spiritual mom, mentor and prayer warrior. She also loved to read books and always wanted to share them with everyone.
Natalie had a few things she like to brag about.
1) She outlived 3 husbands, 3 children and 2 sisters.
2) Her hair was her natural color. No gray hair.
3) How skinny she was.
She was a fighter and survivor from The Greatest Generation. She was truly amazed that she lived as long as she did with all her health issues. God gave her so many gifts. That voice, the smile and that laugh. She was a woman of faith. In her latter years she was very bold about telling anyone about Jesus. Up until 6 months ago she still got out her auto harp singing worship songs. She hated getting old. The last 54 days of her life were so painful for her laying in bed with her body failing from a broken hip. Made even harder because of Covid and no one could visit her.
Praise God she is not in pain any more and is dancing and playing her auto harp in heaven. She passed away 23 days before her 96th birthday.
We love you Natalie
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.8.18