Jane M. Bridges

1932 - 2018

Jane Seymour Mortenson Bridges of Dorset, VT died peacefully on December 9, 2018. The daughter of Leo W. Mortenson and Virginia Fuller Mortenson, and elder sister of Mary Mortenson Kaye, Jane was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 6, 1932. She lived in New York until WWII. During the war, she lived in New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, Virginia and Kansas while her father served as an officer with the US Armys 101st Cavalry Group (mechanized) in the US and in the European theater. After the war, her family settled in Concord, MA where Jane attended Concord Academy. From Concord Academy, Jane went to Smith College and years later earned her M-Ed from Antioch College. She and her husband of 66 wonderful years, Samuel Willard Bridges (Bill) were married in June 1952 and lived in Carlisle, MA for 25 years. She taught at The Carroll School, Lincoln, MA for 10 years where she made a positive difference to the lives of many of her students. Jane and Bill moved to Marion, MA in the 1980s where Jane was an active member and eventually president of the Garden Club of Buzzards Bay. In the early 1990s, Jane and Bill moved to Dorset, VT where she pursued her gardening through membership in the Manchester Garden Club and The Garden Club of Bennington. As a mem- ber of Zion Church, Manchester, Jane was in the choir, participated in the Alpha Program and became a Stephen Minister. When Jane and Bill joined The United Church of Dorset and East Rupert, she served on the Green Team and the Hospitality Committee. She loved Vermont and living in Dorset. She had a soft spot in her heart for creatures great and small, especially the many dogs she and Bill had over the years, a number of which were rescues. Jane is survived by her loving husband Bill, their two sons Sam Bridges (Joanna) of Darien, CT and Adam Bridges (Susan) of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, their grandchildren Adrian Bridges (Joanna), Stephanie Waterfield (Dickon), Alex Bridges (Leslie), and Bill Bridges, as well as her three great-grandchildren, Natalie and Archer Bridges and Finn Waterfield, and her sister Mary Kaye of Medford, MA. A memorial service will be held at The United Church of Dorset & East Rupert at 11 a.m. on January 5th, 2019. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to The United Church of Dorset & East Rupert.