Gene Fay BRIDGES

BRIDGES, OLINGER, LATEER, CRAIGHTON, BENSON, DEVRIES

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/25/2016 at 15:06:36

August 8, 1942 ---- August 5, 2015

Gene Fay Bridges, 72, of Iowa Falls, Iowa passed away Wednesday, August 5, 2015 at the Hansen Family Hospital in Iowa Falls. Funeral services for Gene Bridges will be August 10, 2015 at 4:00 p.m. at the Linn's Funeral Home, 1521 Washington Ave., Iowa Falls, IA 50126. A time of visitation will be from 2:30 to 4:00 pm Monday, August 10, 2015 at the Linn's Funeral Home in Iowa Falls. Cremation rites will follow the services.

Gene Fay Bridges was born August 8, 1942 on a farm east of Dows, Iowa to Dewayne [Pat] and Lavon [Olinger] Bridges. He grew up on a farm in the Dows area and graduated from the Dows High School in 1961. In 1961 he was united in marriage to Sherrie Lateer of Clarion, Iowa. They farmed south of Dows for a few years, and then later he was employed by Farmland Foods in Iowa Falls, Iowa until they closed the plant. He had a trucking business for a few years and then later worked for Wright County on road maintenance out of Dows. He always loved living in the country and enjoyed his hobbies of raising horses and farm animals. He was an inventor, carpenter, electrician, plumber, heavy equipment operator, wine maker, farmer, father, "grampa," and in general being a handyman.

He enjoyed helping people who no one else would help, standing up for the underdog and fighting the establishment to which he never lost a battle. He loved going to his lake cabin in Northern Minnesota whenever he could, and especially enjoyed taking his family and friends. He separated from Sherrie in 1996 and later divorced in 1998 and he then moved to Iowa Falls. He loved and enjoyed his family and grandchildren. He was baptized in the Methodist Church at Dows.

He is survived by his special friend, Maxine Devries, son, Rob Bridges and children; Cole, Katelyn and Kellie all of Iowa falls, Iowa, his daughter, Monica [Dave] Craighton of Dows, Iowa and her children; Josh [Brittany] Benson and Jessi Benson, and one step grandson, Derrick Craighton. In death he rejoins his parents.