Christopher Scott Bridger

Christopher Scott Bridger, 62, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, August 2nd. He was born on December 26, 1962, in Corpus Christi, Tx. He was the second of three children in a family that settled in Portland, Texas, a place Chris would always call home.

 Chris and his siblings grew up at a time when kids played outside, built forts, and rode their bicycles in the church parking lot. They attended elementary school a block away from their home and probably didn’t realize how much they would grow to appreciate their neighborhood gang as they got older. At an early age, Chris began to develop an interest in sports. By the time he was in high school, he was challenging records in the weight room and developing his skills in both track and football. Chris was a friend to everyone. He was a social coordinator (party organizer) and while having fun was always on his “to do” list, he was building life-long relationships that he would cherish forever.

 Chris attended Del Mar College where he immersed himself in the study of Diesel Mechanics. He worked long hours at BD Holt and Mustang Industrial. He traveled around fixing things that weren’t running right. In other words, he kept people in business. Eventually, Chris worked his way into sales and management positions, built his own forklift business, and worked diligently to expand his network of friends and customers. Perhaps his greatest talent was the ability to build relationships with every person he met. Whether it was 5 minutes or 5 years, Chris was your friend for life. And if you ever needed anything, calling Chris was a very smart move.

 When Chris met Karen, it was inevitable that they were partners for life. They married in 1999. Then came Shelby Brooke Bridger. Shelby changed everything. Chris taught her how to fish, which was something he truly loved. He taught her how to play basketball and cheered her on at soccer tournaments. Chris loved his family, adored his “girls,” and was a shining example of how you can take a light-hearted approach to life and still be serious about leading a meaningful life.

. Chris is survived by his wife of 26 years, Karen; his daughter Shelby; sister Kim Hunt (Casey); sister-in-law Susan Dorow (John), mother-in-Law Suzanne Veselka, nieces and nephews Brandon (Meris), Aaron (Jordan), Matthew Lovely (Morgan), James Ryan Veselka, Andrew Dorow (Tatum), Ashley Anderson (Ashton); numerous great nephews and nieces, Aunt Sharon Buford (Perry), cousin Joel Hoskinson (Barbara) and their daughter, Ally.

 Chris was preceded in death by his parents, Pat and Bill Bridger, brother Bill Bridger, Jr, paternal grandparents Joe and Sybil Bridger, maternal grandparents Helen and Tom Mathisen, father-in-law Al Veselka and brother-in-law James Veselka.

 Friends are invited to join his family for visitation at Charlie Marshall Funeral Home in Aransas Pass at 9:00am on Saturday, August 9th, with a Memorial Service to follow at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Gulf Coast Humane Society would honor Chris’ love of dogs like family pets Carly, Thumper and many others.