Jon Jack Marshall Bridgman

I wish I could have spoken with Professor Bridgman once more before he slipped to the other side of the veil because he helped me to launch my own long career in academe. He was the best teacher I ever had, and I think the world is bereft of a brilliant mind. May God rest his soul...thank you, Jon, for your infectious love of the game.

Jon Bridgman touched my life. He was my mentor for my senior thesis during Winter Quarter, 1969. I took several classes from him. With the situation today (September 2025) my thoughts go back to the themes he (and other professors in the UW Department of History) stressed. His History 432 Class, Europe from 1870 to 1918, stands out as one of the five crown jewels in my time as a UW undergraduate where we were to pick a year and from original source materials (in the stacks) write a narrative...

Professor Bridgman was just in my dream last night. I was getting a history degree this time! I loved his classes, kept coming back. This was in the early 1980s. You done good, Professor.

My name Is Alex Pedersen, formerly of Dunagan surname. I grew up next to the Bridgeman family in the Montlake neighborhood. My mother was an educator at UW. I remember how nice Mr. Bridgeman was to us, always trying to teach us something. I remember palying with Geoffey and Jonathan with my brothers Shaun and Matt.

A great man and teacher, well remembered by all who were privileged to take his wonderful history classes.

I remember you with fondness. Your love of telling a wonderful tale from history, your love of French cooking, and your love and care for me, my two sisters, Wendy and Jenny, and of our mother Dianne. I was blessed to know you....so sorry I didn't get to say goodbye. Sue (Walker) Andersson

Jon Bridgman introduced me to Thucydides and Tacitus, to the Somme, Kerensky, and much more. During my years at UW (1988-92( I took every course of his I could fit into my schedule. He is one of the reasons I became a historian. I feel fortunate that I was able to see him again when I came back to UW as a professor to deliver a lecture in 2008. Thank you, Prof. Bridgman.

I am sorry to hear of Dr. Bridgman's passing. It was very evident while attending his classes to see the love he had for research and teaching. Several times in college I would find him in the cubes of Suzzallo researching for a lecture. Took several classes from him, even though I was a Business Major...how could I not? He will be dearly missed.

I teared up when I first read that Jon Bridgman had died. He was beyond question the best teacher I ever had, and I credit my ongoing love of and respect for history largely to him. During my time at UW ('83 - '87), I took him for five different courses, and he was profoundly engaging and entertaining on a consistent basis in every one of them. At each class I learned and I laughed. To this day I still find myself periodically doing an impersonation of the way he would tell stories. History...