Iris Bowers Bridges

Iris S. Bridges passed away peacefully, Monday, September 1, 2008 at Piedmont Crossing in Thomasville, NC.  Mrs. Bridges was born on October 19, 1923 in Davidson County, daughter of the late Margie and George Smith.  She grew up in the Holly Grove area of Davidson County, attended Davis Townsend High School in Holly Grove, and Catawba College in Salisbury, NC.  There she met her future husband of 52 years, Moses Bridges, Jr.  She was preceded in death by her grandson, Brian in 1972 and by her beloved husband, Moses, in 1996.  Having her education interrupted by World War II, Iris returned to Catawba in 1960 as a proud mother of four sons with a fifth on the way to graduate and then enter the teaching profession.  Mrs. Bridges taught business classes in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School system until retiring in 1985.  After fulfilling careers in education, Iris and Moses retired and moved to Bermuda Run, NC.  She spent many of her retirement years vacationing with her husband in the mountains of North Carolina.  Iris relocated to Piedmont Crossing in 1996 after the death of her husband.  She was a former member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, Clemmons United Methodist Church in Clemmons and recently rejoined her childhood church, Emanuel Reformed Church in Thomasville, NC.  Although Iris enjoyed teaching, her real love was raising five sons and spending time with her grandchildren. She is survived by those sons, Barton Bridges and wife, Billie of Tampa, FL, Keith Bridges and wife, Patti of Chapel Hill, NC, Alan Bridges and wife, Amy of Clemmons, NC, Frank Bridges and wife Susan of Weddington, NC and John Bridges of Greensboro, NC.  She was the proud grandmother of 11 grandchildren and 4 great-granddaughters.  Nothing in her life was more important to her than family.  In celebration of her life, the family will receive friends at Davidson Funeral Home, Lexington, NC one hour prior to the 11:00 am funeral service on Wednesday, September 3, 2008.  Friends of Iris and her family are also invited to a burial service at 1:00 pm Wednesday at Westlawn Gardens of Memory in Clemmons, NC.  The services will be conducted by Reverend Rickey Payne.  The family request  in lieu of flowers that memorials be made to the Emanuel Reformed Church, 1170 Emanuel Church Rd., Thomasville, NC 27360; Piedmont Crossing Retirement Center, 100 Hedrick Drive, Thomasville, NC 27360 or Hospice of the Piedmont, 1801 Westchester Dr., High Point, NC  27262   Online condolences may be made at www.davidsonfuneralhome.net