Obituary of Claudia Rose Bridges

IN LOVING MEMORY OF CLAUDIA R. BRIDGES Claudia Rose Bridges, daughter of Wade H. and Lucy (Cloudis) Manning, was born September 25, 1915, in Chula, Missouri, and passed away at the Andbe Home in Norton, Kansas, on February 15, 2011, at the age of 95. At the age of 11, Claudia, her sister, and her best friend were baptized into the Presbyterian Church. She attended grade and high school in Chula, and then graduated from secretarial school in Chillicothe, Missouri. She was employed by Upjohn Pharmaceutical Company in Kansas City, Missouri, where she received an award for being the top billing typist in all seven branches of the company. While working at Upjohn, she met Duane N. Bridges, purchasing agent for Folger Coffee Company, and they were married at the 1st Congregational Church in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 28, 1940. In 1942, Duane, a 1st Lieutenant in the Infantry, was called into active duty. Claudia accompanied him until September 1944, when Major Bridges was sent overseas and served in the Battle of the Bulge where he received the Distinguished Infantry Badge. Upon his return from Germany in 1946, they moved to Norton where they purchased the Bridges Insurance Agency from Duane's mother, Nell Bridges. They operated the agency alone until Don Ryan joined them as an acting agent. In 1953, Claudia purchased the Cottage Style Shop in partnership with her brother, Sam Manning, and his wife, Bonnie. In 1960, Claudia was the sole agent for the insurance agency when Duane and his partner were called into active duty. Duane's service was for one year with the National Guard in Manhattan. With the help of Bonnie Triplett in the office, she was able to be with Duane every other week in Manhattan and still kept the business going. In 1968, she retired and became active in Red Cross work both at the Norton State Hospital and the Andbe Home. She later became the Chairman of the Volunteers. Claudia was a 50-year member of the Golden Glow Club, Wednesday Study Club, American Legion Auxiliary, The Red Hat Ladies, and the Duplicate Bridge Club. She attended the Norton Trinity Episcopal Church and was a past secretary of God's Pantry. Survivors include: one sister, Joan Roberts, Kansas City, Missouri; one brother-in-law, Tom Arnold, Ames, Iowa; 26 nieces and nephews; 21 great-nieces and great-nephews; many great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews; her special namesake, Claudia Brehmer; other relatives and many friends. Claudia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers, Wade and Sam Manning, two sisters, Mary Arnold and Helen Davenport, two brothers-in-law, Harry Roberts and Cledith Davenport, two sisters-in-law, Bonnie and Valetta Manning, and one great-niece, Candace Willour. Memorials may be made to Andbe Home and Norton CARES.