Judge Roy C. Bridges Sr.

Judge Roy C. Bridges Sr., a celebrated Senior Magisterial Judge, died September 27, 2012, in Linglestown, due to complications of Dementia. He was 71.
Born in Scottsville, KY on March 16, 1941, he was the son of the late Jewell and Ethel (Spurlock) Bridges and the youngest of 10 children. Bridges attended Hickory Grove Grade School and Allen County High school. He graduated from the PA State Police Academy in 1968, and Law Enforcement Training School of the FBI. He continued his formal education through Penn State University, Northwestern University, and Harrisburg Area Community College.
Bridges entered the U.S. Army in 1959 and received an honorable discharge in 1962 at which time he moved to Pennsylvania in pursuit of a career in criminal justice. He took a position as a patrolman at the Mechanicsburg Police Department, followed by a Corporal at the Hampden Township Police Department, and Deputy Sheriff of Cumberland County. After a few years serving as Corporal in Hampden Township he was offered the position of Chief of Police of Hummelstown and served there for 21 years.
A Dauphin County District court position opened in 1993; Bridges was elected in 1994. During a distinguished judicial career that spanned almost two decades he earned the reputation of being a "fair judge." He was unswerving in his desire to help people no matter the difficulty of the issues they confronted or the problems they faced. Judge Bridges focused especially on serving the needs of children and families, and advocating for treatment for alcoholism and addiction. He had an amazing amount of compassion, particularly for those individuals who humbly came before him. There is no doubt that his judicial career was guided by Jesuit precept of service to others. His life has made a difference for good in the lives of others.
He was a member and past President of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association of Central PA Chiefs of Police Association; Dauphin County Chiefs of Police of Tri-County Lodge No. 76 - FOP; Crime Clinic of Greater Harrisburg; Hummelstown Lions Club; RASE Project; Brethren in Christ Church of Hummelstown; Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement Board, Hummelstown Fire Department (past secretary), and the Executive Board of PACPA.
Judge Bridges is survived by his wife of 43 years, Diana (Hoover) Bridges of Enola, daughter Heather Bridges and her fiancé J. Jason Moshier of Elizabethville; his grandchildren, Jeremy Bridges, Ali Bridges of Harrisburg, and Lydia Moshier of Elizabethville; and siblings Frances (Bridges) Wilson and Joyce Bridges of Scottsville, KY; daughter-in-law, Lisa Bridges of Harrisburg; sister-in-law's, Pauline Bridges and Linda Bridges of Scottsville, KY; brother-in-law Woody Cox of Scottsville, KY; mother-in-law A. Faye Hoover of Carlisle; and several nieces, nephews and cousins of Scottsville, KY.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Roy C. Bridges, Jr., his siblings, Calvin Bridges, Nancy Bridges, Mary Bridges, James Bridges, Buelle (Mont) Bridges, Robert Bridges, and Lois (Bridges) Cox; brother-in-law, Clemons Wilson; and father-in-law, Emerson Hoover.
A public viewing will take place at Trefz & Bowser Funeral Home, Inc., 114 West Main Street, Hummelstown, on Friday, October 5, 2012 from 6 to 8 PM. A second viewing will take place at Grace United Methodist Church, 443 East Main Street, Hummelstown, on Saturday, October 6, 2012 from 9 AM to 10:30 AM prior to the 11 AM service, followed by a burial at Rolling Green Cemetery, Camp Hill.
Memorial contributions may be sent to Northwestern University, Primary Progressive Aphasia and Research Education fund, attention Kevin Connolly, 320 E Superior Street, Searle 11, Chicago, Illinois 60611 or by going online to http://www.giving.northwestern.edu/nu/CNADC.
Online condolences may be shared at www.trefzandbowser.com