Harriet L. (Gibbs) BRIDGEFORD

BRIDGEFORD, GIBBS, LENZ, ELLINGSON, MEYERS, WARD, RIECHERTS, PALS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/17/2010 at 11:19:18

GARNER - Harriet L. Bridgeford, 90, of Garner, formerly of 1455 Second St. S.E. Mason City, died Thursday (Dec. 17, 2009) at the Concord Care Center in Garner, she had been a resident there since July 2008. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, at the First United Methodist Church Wayside Chapel, 119 S. Georgia Ave., with the Rev. Jim Stiles officiating. Interment will be in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to services on Saturday at the church. Memorials may be directed to the Harriet Bridgeford Memorial Fund in care of the family.

Harriet L. (Gibbs) Bridgeford was born Jan. 29, 1918, the daughter of Harry and Esther (Lenz) Gibbs on their family farm southeast of Klemme. She attended and graduated from Klemme Schools; and later received advanced clerical instruction and graduated from Hamilton Business College. Harriet began her working years at Locke Photo in Mason City. She was later employed at Stoyles Printing as an office manager and bookkeeper. She enjoyed the many people she worked with and met over the years in downtown Mason City. She married Virgil Bridgeford on June 2, 1945, and they made their home in Mason City. Virgil passed away Nov. 16, 1998. As a youth Harriet received a very crippling injury that left her with pain and a partial disability throughout her life. She never mentioned it or thought of herself as being set back by it in any way. Harriet was a very friendly, caring and industrious person. She enjoyed baking cookies for nieces, nephews and friends, gardening, fishing and traveling. She and Virgil enjoyed vacationing around the country and Canada, and fishing on Clear Lake. Harriet was a long-time member of the First United Methodist Church and women's clubs.

She is survived by her sister, Isabelle Gibbs, of Mason City; sister-in-law, Hazel "Toots" Ellingson and her husband, Merle, of Clear Lake; brother-in-law, Richard Bridgeford, of Mason City; nieces and nephews, Ronna (Jerry) Meyers, of Garner and Lora (Lester) Ward, of Lansing, Ill.; Joe (Kathy) Gibbs, of Garner, Debbie (Bob) Riecherts, of Minneapolis; David (Cheryl) Ellingson, of Indianola; Mark (Lori) Ellingson, of Mason City; Julie (Neal) Pals, of Clear Lake; and several great-nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Virgil; her parents; two brothers, Asa and Ronald; sisters-in-law, Jane Bridgeford, Lois Gibbs, Fay Gibbs, and Dewie Gibbs. Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home and Crematory.

Mason City Globe Gazette - Iowa
December 18, 2009