Bridget Ann Brooke

1958 - 2024

Bridget Ann Brooke was born in San Francisco, Ca. on May 30, 1958. She was the first child to her mother, Jeanne T. Brooke and her father, Alva "Buzz" Edmund Brooke. She was a fifth generation Californian.

Even though Bridget lived most of her adult life in Florida, her heart remained in the San Francisco Peninsula. Her father, Buzz, passed away when she was only three years old. Her mother, Jeanne, a new widow, never remarried and raised Bridget and her younger sister Emily on her own. They moved from their home in Menlo Park to Guinda St. In Palo Alto when Bridget was five years old. Bridget attended Crescent Park Elementary and Jordan Junior High.

Her favorite teacher was Mr. Lane, her progressive sixth grade teacher, who took their class on a field trip to the small town of Delano to picket in support of the United Farm Workers. Bridget was smart, funny and irreverent (in the best way possible). As she grew up, she developed strong opinions and ideas about social issues which was something she was known for (and she was ready to share those opinions if given the opportunity). She became quite the tennis player at the courts at Rinconada Park, participated in the annual May Fete pageants, rode her bicycle everywhere, was wearing vintage clothing, Mexican peasant blouses and platform shoes by the age of 15 and would go on lengthy backpacking trips in the Sierras.

Being a teenager in the San Francisco Bay Area during the 70s allowed her to go to countless concerts. Her musical tastes ranged from The Tubes, Neil Young, Stevie Wonder and Dave Mason. She first saw Elton John in 1975 and being the person she was, she saw him perform 50 times over the next 35 years. When she was 17, she started designing clothes and her talents awarded her a full scholarship to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco along with a full scholarship to UC Berkeley.

She chose the Fashion Institute over UC Berkeley because she was such a creative person and could not envision herself being fulfilled studying academics. Bridget graduated from Palo Alto Senior High School in 1976 and moved to San Francisco later that year to start studying at the Fashion Institute. She soon met Henry Meer, who she would eventually marry. In 1977, Bridget transferred to San Francisco City College to study ornamental horticulture. Her design interests expanded into plants and flowers. Bridget loved San Francisco for the five years she lived there. Her studio apartment was on the side of Nob Hill on California St. where the cable cars ran every day from 6 am to midnight. In the fall of 1979, her sister Emily became her next door neighbor and they shared many sisterly adventures together: eating at Little Joe's in North Beach (always ordering half rigatoni and half vegetables), getting fresh coffee beans at Graffeo's, walking in the Arboretum in Golden Gate Park, fighting over vintage clothing finds at thrift stores and eating burgers late at night at the Grubstake.

Bridget and Henry moved to Mountain View in 1981 and she started working at Lum Toy, a renowned florist in Atherton. Her floral arrangements were spectacular and her abilities and knowledge of design flourished. When Henry finished his podiatry residency, they moved to Florida where Henry was originally from. Henry and Bridget started their podiatry practice in Inverness, Florida in the early 1980's and she worked alongside him, running all aspects of their practice and assisting him with patients. They sold their podiatry practice in the late 1980's and over the next few years lived in Rhinebeck, New York; Natick, Massachusetts and Redmond, Washington. Henry made multiple career changes during those years and when they lived in Natick, Massachusetts, Bridget worked at Bread and Circus, a well known Health Food Market where she would demo various food products. Her ability to come up with the most interesting and delightful vegetarian recipes was something she enjoyed throughout her life. Bridget and Henry moved back to Inverness, Florida in 1995 when she became pregnant with her first son, Edmund.

She had her second son, Ethan in 1997 and was a stay at home wife and mother while Henry practiced Optometry in Inverness. Bridget was the kind of mom who made baked treats for her son's classrooms (she was famous for her sugar cookies), elaborate gift baskets for their teachers and would volunteer in their classrooms. She had annual passes to Disney World and enjoyed going there with her sons and also on solo trips. Her favorite ride was the Carousel of Progress. Bridget and Henry divorced in the mid-2000s and she would remain a stay at home mom to her sons and once they were older, she worked at a variety of local businesses. One thing to know about Bridget is that she had boundless enthusiasm and interests: See's Candy, All My Children, Petula Clark, collecting jewelry, running, Tahitian Treat soda, the movies "Harold and Maude" " The Russians are Coming" the musical "Carousel " and "Pee Wee's Big Adventure", Van Gogh and Monet exhibits, her many cats, Van Briggle pottery, Burt Bacharach, the band R.E.M., Tupperware and true crime books (one of the highlights of her life was getting a private tour of Folsom Prison with her sister Emily). She was a vegetarian for 35 years and animal rights was one of her passions. Bridget was always recognizable in the black clothes that she wore year round, her occasional Hello Kitty tshirt, colorful Converse sneakers, faux patent leather bags and endless strands of pearls (both real and costume). She could make instant friends while shopping at Publix and enjoyed being "over the top". If someone had the opportunity to meet her, they would certainly remember her. She was that unique and memorable. One thing that Bridget did not always disclose was that she was a grateful member of Alcoholics Anonymous. When she passed away she had been sober for 32 years. Bridget had a few close friends, all of them she knew for over 40 years.

She treasured Mary Anne, Maggie, Kathy, Richard and Rabbi Gary. She relied on the advice and compassion of Aunt Janice, her mother's youngest sister. The passing of her mother Jeanne in 2022 was particularly challenging for Bridget. Her sister, Emily, was her best friend and advocate, especially when Bridget's health changed in the last few years of her life.

Not a day goes by where Bridget is not spoken of, loved, or deeply missed by those who were lucky enough to be part of her life.

Bridget Ann Brooke is survived by her sister, Emily Brooke, her niece and nephew, Kaia and Ry Brooke, her sons, Edmund Meer and Ethan Brooke-Meer, her Aunt Janice and cousins, Karen and Susan.

Bridget's beloved mother, Jeanne T. Brooke, passed away in June of 2022 and her father, Alva "Buzz" Edmund Brooke, passed away in August of 1961.

In lieu of flowers, Bridget would want donations to Precious Paws Rescue in Lecanto and to Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce.

If Bridget had one thing she would want to be remembered for, it would be the last words spoken by Maude from the movie "Harold and Maude." "Go and love some more."