George F. Bridges, 104, passed away peacefully in his home in Pittsboro, North Carolina on December 26, 2023, surrounded by his family. He was born and lived much of his life in Jacksonville, Florida. His parents were George F. P. Bridges, Sr., and Leonie Chandler Bridges. All four of his sisters—Katherine Gaylard, Vara Bateman, Betty Ann Bridges, and Carolyn Cupp—preceded him in death.
George attended Robert E. Lee High School and Duval High, excelling in shop classes. He later owned and managed Tool Distributors, Inc., a wholesale tool company, and was a qualified electrician. He was a go-to person for all kinds of repairs and construction, always having the appropriate tool for the job, and outfitting his daughters, sons-in-law, friends and neighbors with tools for every possible need.
On his way to get a haircut as a young man, George saw a young girl riding her bike in the neighborhood and subsequently went out of his way to meet and court her, determining early-on that she would be the girl he married. Indeed, she was. He married Mary Alice Fugate in 1942, and they were partners in life for more than 81 years.
George entered the National Guard in 1940 and was inducted into the Army Coast Artillery at the start of WWII. He served in several states before being sent to Alaska, where he spent most of the war. His stories about his time in Alaska were peopled by interesting characters and described some wacky events and misadventures. Less about the war and more about the backstory, they could have been the fodder for MASH episodes. Other stories included the characters he encountered during his working life. Although we don’t think of him as being particularly gregarious or outgoing, he collected a remarkable number of friends and forged very close ties with several of them during his long lifetime. He outlived most of his friends, but he continued to remember and honor them through his stories.
During their childhoods, George’s daughters, Beverly, Barbara, and Debbie, recall his being a hard worker and very generous with and protective of his family. He was a favorite with their friends (though not always of their boyfriends) as he was funny and not at all stuffy. He was a tender father and beloved PawPaw.
Upon retiring in the late 1980s, George and Mary moved from Jacksonville to Keystone Heights where children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren enjoyed the lake. George grew vegetables in small patches on the property and was known for his prolific “okra trees.” He was rarely inside during daylight hours and probably walked ten miles a day just going back and forth to various spots on his property. He came late to computers, but was a quick study and spent non-daylight hours on his accounts.
In 2013, when both George and Mary were less comfortable driving, they moved to Pittsboro North Carolina to be closer to daughter Beverly and her husband. George missed his flat Florida yard where he could ride a mower and was disappointed that the okra plants didn’t get as big in North Carolina. He found many ways to keep busy, creating lamps from bottles for a while, and crafting things like special hinges for gates for his daughters.
Seeing his 105th birthday looked promising until George contracted pneumonia and was hospitalized in November, and his health deteriorated. Despite being born during WWI, growing up during the Great Depression, and having WWII shape his young adulthood and early married life, George often commented that he thought he and Mary had lived at the best time. What better measure of a life well lived.
George is survived by his wife of 81 years, Mary Fugate Bridges; daughters Beverly (Jim) Wiggins, Barbara Lucas, and Debra (Ray) Hill; grandchildren Shannon Parmenter and Jonathan Parish; and great grandchildren Shelby (Tristan) Jewel, Chase Parmenter, and Gage Parmenter; and several nieces and nephews.
The family thanks the doctors and nurses of the UNC Hospital in Hillsborough, Chatham County EMS, and UNC Hospice for helping make his last days comfortable.
George will be buried at Riverside Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Florida, alongside other members of his family. At George’s request, no memorial service will be held until he is reunited with Mary at her death. If you wish to honor his memory, please donate to a favorite charity.
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