Obituary: Mary R. Bridges

Mary Ruth (Navitsky) Bridges, 100, of Mansfield, died Saturday, Jan. 26 at Epoch of Norton.

She was the wife of the late Robert C. Bridges for 54 years.

Born in Lithuania Nov. 16, 1912, she came to the United States in 1914 with her mother, Thelma Navitsky and three siblings settling in Orange with friends while awaiting the arrival of the rest of her family. Mary met her future husband in 1930, married in 1932 and moved to Mansfield in 1934, caring for her two younger siblings after the passing of her mother.

Mary was a self-taught seamstress and instructor of sewing classes for Mansfield Adult Education Classes. After becoming a naturalized citizen, she returned to High School in Mansfield and earned her diploma in 1963 at age 51. Mary was a frequent guest speaker at Foxboro High School History Classes, sharing her invaluable personal experience of the immigrant's challenges.

Mrs. Bridges leaves her children Robert Bridges and his wife Barbara of N. Easton and Judith Guenard and her husband Lionel of Foxborough; her sibling Frances Rowland of Florida; her six grandchildren; her 15 great-grandchildren; and her many nieces and nephews.

Memorial Visitation was scheduled for Bolea-Amici Funeral Home, 115 N. Main Stl, Mansfield Friday, Feb. 8. A graveside service was to be held Saturday, Feb. 9 at noon at the Highland Cemetery in Athol.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Bridges memory to the Citizen's Scholarship Foundation of Mansfield, Inc., P.O. Box 23, Mansfield, MA 02048.