Wayne Bridges

Family-Placed Death Notice

Wayne Brian Bridges was welcomed into this world with great love and profound joy on the morning of September 25, 1954, in Mount Vernon, New York by his proud parents Mary Christine and the late Otha Paris Bridges, and big brothers, Arthur, Vaughn and David. He returned to the loving arms of God during the early morning hours of February 25, 2007. As the handsome and personable youngest son in a family of four boys, Wayne grew up as the happy and cherished "baby" of the family. He accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of his life at an early age. Wayne was baptized and became a member of the Grace Baptist Church of Mount Vernon, New York under the pastorate of the Reverend Samuel Austin. Wayne attended Nathan Hale Elementary School. He later went on to also successfully graduate from Washington Junior High School and Mount Vernon High School, both located in Mount Vernon, New York. His older brother, David advised Wayne to attend the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois. Upon his graduation from high school, he took this advice to heart and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administrtion from the University of Illinois in 1978. Wayne's major profession was as a businessman and marketing manager for DTP, Inc. He was well suited for and effective in his chosen occupation not only because of his business acumen; but also because he possessed a cheerful, friendly, and outgoing personality. It was often said of Wayne that he "never met a stranger." His famous words will always be remembered as: quoted by his son Chris, "Keep your head, your brain is in it"; also, quoted from Chris and his friends and business associates with respect to Chris's style, talent, and skills, "You know he gets that from me!" During Wayne's time of struggle, he weathered the storms of the sea of declining health. with the help of God's grace, his loyal family's love, and his wife Jo-Ann's unflagging devotion. He often withstood this life's most bitter adversity. But now he has come into the eternal rest and safe harbor of God's glorious reward after living a life filled with courage, faith, hope, love in the face of illness and goodwill toward all people. Wayne will be forever missed and never forgotten by his family including: his mother, Mary Christine Bridges; his loving wife, Jo-Ann Bridges and her children, Malaya Isaacs, Myles Garret, and Natalie Woods who Wayne often said "was the daughter I never had"; his loving son, Christopher Brian Bridges, and Chris' mother, Roberta Shields, and granddaughter, Karma Christine Bridges and Karma's mother, Christine St. Germaine White; grandchildren Gabriel, Holly, Kayla and Taylor Cosby, Cherokee and Jewel Isaac, and Kennedy Garret; and his brothers and their wives, Arthur and Carolyn Bridges, Vaughn and Delester Bridges, and David and Yvonne Bridges; his Aunt Viola Wilson, his Aunt Marion Bridges, and host of additional family and friends. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Gus Thornhill's Funeral Home in East Point, Georgia. Funeral services were held at Enon Church and Ministries in College Park, Georgia.