Elsie Edner Bridges

Elsie Edner Bridges, 85, died Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2009, at St. Bernards Medical Center in Jonesboro. She was born Nov. 23, 1923, in Noe Creek to the late Jim and Dulcie Robertson. She graduated from Arkansas State University with a BSE degree and retired from Manila School District after about 38 years of teaching. Mrs. Bridges was an active member of the Monette First Baptist Church, where she was still teaching the Children I Sunday School Class until fall of last year and was an Awana Leader.

Survivors include a daughter, Jane Clay Border, and husband Marshall of Jonesboro; a son and wife, Darrell and Terri Bridges of Clarksville; a stepdaughter and husband, Lagena and Charles Powell of Hoover, Ala.; three stepsons and wives, Jim and Shirley Bridges of Nashville, Tenn., Sam and Gloria Bridges of Paragould and Winfred and Adell Bridges of Jonesboro; a sister and her husband, Viva and Joe Wright of Gustine, Calif.; a sister-in-law, Margie Robertson of Tulsa, Okla.; 11 grandchildren, Shane Clay, James Bridges, Joe Bridges, Rachel Bridges, Luke Bridges, Phillip Bridges, Hannah Bridges, Gena Sullivan, Mike Bridges, Gena Bridges and Heath Border; 10 great-grandchildren, Logan Clay, Trinity Clay, Jared Clay, Haley Bridges, Jimmy Dwight Bridges, Skyler Schreiber, Brianna Bridges, Hannah Sullivan, Joel Sullivan and Lexi Border.

She was also preceded in death by her husband, Paul Bridges; a son, Dwight Bridges; a brother, Arthur Robertson; a grandson, Paul Clay, and a great-granddaughter, Morgan Clay.

A celebration of her life was held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 20, at the Monette First Baptist Church with Rev. Rusty Bird and Rev. Captain Lovell officiating. Graveside service was held at 2 p.m. in Gravel Hill Cemetery near St. Francis with Dr. Darrell Bridges officiating under the direction of Gregg Funeral Home of Monette.

Honored to serve as pallbearers were Bob Hurst, Robert Chambers, Bob Blankenship, Revis Stewart, Jason Stewart and Jeremy Sullivan and as honorary pallbearers, Hamil Million, Frank Smithee and Kenneth Richardson.

The family requests lasting memorial be given to the Monette First Baptist Church.

Personal condolences may be sent to the Bridges family at greggfunerals.com.