Carolyn Horton Bridges

Carolyn Horton Bridges, daughter of Lillie Belle Washington and the late Cleveland Brown was born October 3, 1946 in Tifton, Georgia. Carolyn had three sisters Barbara Jean Horton, Vernetta Washington and Angela Mathis. She also had three brothers Cleveland Brown, Jr., Stanley Brown, and Erroll Brown. Carolyn was raised in Georgia and spent summers in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.

Carolyn loved school and was an outstanding student. After graduating from Tift Wiler High School, she attended Savannah State University, where she graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology. In 1971, she started her career as a teacher in her hometown of Tifton, but made a life changing decision the following year to move 200 miles north and continue her profession in Tate, Georgia as a teacher for Tate Elementary. She boarded with another school teacher, Carrie Bridges and her husband, Mark Bridges, Jr, brother of the man who would become her husband, George Bridges. In 1974 Carolyn took a position to work in her educational field as a social worker for Cherokee County Branch of North Georgia Community Action Center in Canton, Georgia where she helped hundreds of children and families in need. In 1984, she was presented an opportunity to return to teaching by educator Frankie Shephard to replace her in filling the need for a Black teacher at L. R. Tippens Elementary School in Canton, Georgia. She stayed there until the opening of Marie Archer Teasley Middle School in 1986. She taught 7th grade science and later 7th and 8th grade health until her retirement May 31, 2006 after performing 25 years of service.

In 1971, Carolyn fell in love and married U.S. Air Force serviceman, George Bridges of Tate, Georgia. They were wed on November 18, 1972 before family and friends at Springfield Missionary Baptist Church in Tifton, Georgia. After their wedding, Carolyn and George started their new life in Canton, Georgia. In December 1982, they purchased a house in Woodstock where they lived over 39 years until her passing.

On October 27, 1976, Carolyn and George were blessed with the birth of their daughter, Karryn Shanté Bridges. Carolyn was a devoted mother, who nurtured and supported Shanté in her academics and a variety of extra-curricular activities. Carolyn also loved and cherished her close relationship with daughter Loretta Fleming and special relationships with niece Tijuana Rolland; nephews Corey Demery and Emery Bridges; bonus children she was blessed with from her friendship friend-sister, Delores Heard (and her husband, John), Alesia Steel and Steven Heard; and her daughter’s friend, Aimee Williams.

Carolyn, adored and loved talking on the phone with her mother, affectionately known as “MuDear.” When she was able, in her past time, Carolyn enjoyed sewing, shopping, hosting and spending quality time with family and friends. Her favorite meals were breakfast and Sunday dinner. She loved flowers, but due to her illness was not able to enjoy them per doctor’s orders. Despite not talking to them daily, she cherished her relationships with her friend-sisters Alma Taylor, Dorothy Funnye, Sandra Jeffrey and Ethel Pitts (and her husband, Carl).

At an early age, Carolyn was baptized became a member of Springfield Missionary Baptist Church in Tifton. Upon marrying her husband George, Carolyn moved her membership to Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Tate, Georgia where she was an active member until her health declined. As a member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church, Carolyn was well known for her cooking, and was often called upon to cook meals and bake delicious cakes for community church events. She also participated in the Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Woodstock, Georgia “Young at Heart” Ministry until she felt she could no longer be of service.

Whether you called her Carolyn, Carol or Mrs. Bridges, you knew that Carolyn was a kind hearted and steadfast Christian woman who loved God, her family and friends. To acquaintances she had a quiet spirit. Those who knew her got to experience her wit, off-beat sense of humor, excited high pitched voice, tickled laugh when amused, warm hospitality and at times when she was fed up, her no-nonsense gaze and stern tone. She was an advocate of education and a cheerleader of all who wanted to better themselves through higher learning.

Carolyn was a 23 year cancer survivor first diagnosed with breast cancer in July 1998. Throughout the years, the cancer metastasized to her clavicle, spine and lungs but she persevered until her body could fight no more. During the early morning of February 2, 2022, after a short hospital stay due to the fatigue brought on by pneumonia and infection, with husband, George, friend Carl Pitts, daughters, son-in-law Robert, nephew Corey, niece Daona and bonus daughter Aimee in her presence, God granted her rest and called her home. She leaves behind: mother, Lillie Belle Washington; husband, George Bridges; daughters K. Shanté Bridges and Loretta Fleming; sisters, Vernetta Demery and Angela Mathis (Terence); brothers, Stanley Brown and Erroll Brown; Sister-in-Laws Minnie Howell, Margaret Love (Willie), Faye Finch, Laura Jackson and Emma Veal; Nephews, James Emery Bridges, George Howell, Joseph Howell, Corey Demery (Daona), Henry Veal, Jr, Julian Mathis, Avery Mathis and Devon Brown; Nieces, Janice Williams, Melvina Minter, Sylvia Lee, Tijuana Rolland, Laura Lee Williams, Judy Jackson and Kathy LaTrell Poole; Aunt, Helen Bernice Thompson and a host of cousins, great nieces, great nephews, extended family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her father Cleveland Brown, her sister, Barbara Jean Horton and brother, Cleveland Brown, Jr.

A visitation for Carolyn will be held Saturday, February 12, 2022 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Woodstock Funeral Home, 8855 Main Street, Woodstock, GA 30188. A home going service will occur Sunday, February 13, 2022 at 3:00 PM at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 1141 Smokey Hollow Road, Tate, Georgia 30177. A committal service will occur Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 9:30 AM at Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive, Canton, GA 30114. Carolyn will be laid to rest in Georgia National Cemetery, 1080 Scott Hudgens Drive, Canton, Georgia 30114.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you please remit tributes via any of the following:

• Memorial contributions to the American Cancer Society through their website, https://donate3.cancer.org, or by calling 1-800-227-2345. Please indicate that you wish to dedicate your donation in memory of our loved one, Mrs. Carolyn Horton Bridges.

• Donations directly to Mrs. Bridges’ church home in person at the church, located at 1141 Smokey Hollow Road in Tate GA, or by mail at:

Mt. Calvary Baptist Church

PO Box 153

Tate, GA 30177

• Monetary tributes directly to the family or in the care of Woodstock Funeral Home, who will also collect and provide to the family any in-person offerings received at the time of visitation on Saturday, February 12, 2022.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.woodstockfuneralhome.com for the Bridges family.