Morris Dale "M.D." Bridges -- Automotive Parts Supply Dealer

 

Morris Dale "M.D." Bridges

Morris Dale “M.D.” Bridges was born on September 6, 1918 in the Maple Grove community of  Trigg County, Kentucky. He was the oldest of four children born to Ira Clifton Bridges and Flo Templeton Bridges Bridges.  Ira Clifton was a farmer, carpenter and construction worker and both he and Flo were natives of Trigg County.  M. D. was a descendant of Drewry Bridges, Cullen T. Bridges, Starkie Thomas and Cullen Thomas.

M.D.’s siblings were Barbara Mae Bridges, born in 1920 and married William Eugene McBride, Ira Clifton Bridges, Jr., born in 1923 and married Margaret Frances Church; and Frieda Nell Bridges, born in 1933 and married Eugene Lewis Sumner.

M.D. grew up in the Maple Grove community on the banks of the Beechy Fork Creek.  He received his elementary education at the one-room Maple Grove School and the Lower Donaldson School.  He attended high school at both Pickwick High School and Trigg County High School.

On November 19, 1939, M.D. married Lora Dean Cunningham of the Linton community.  Lora Dean was born on October 3, 1921 and was the daughter of Blair Thurston “Doc” Cunningham and Ida Mae Allen Cunningham. Doc was a farmer and both he and Ida Mae were natives of Trigg County.  Lora Dean was a descendant of the pioneer Cunningham family that settled in Trigg County.  She had attended elementary schools in the Linton community and was a graduate of Rogers High School, class of 1938.

M.D. and Lora Dean settled in Trigg County after their marriage where M. D. engaged in farming.  In 1952, the family relocated to Paducah, Kentucky and eventually settled in Reidland, a suburb of Paducah.  M.D. was employed in the automotive parts supply business.  He was employed at the Southside Auto Parts in Paducah and later retired from the McCaskill Auto Parts in Paducah.

M.D. and Lora Dean were the parents of six children, Walter Earl Bridges, born in 1941 and married Linda Faye Burgess and later married Glenda Hicks; Linda Mae Bridges, born in 1943 and married James Robert Wallace and later married Charles D. Parish; Jerry Dale Bridges, born in 1945 and married Cherrie Darlene Fowler; Lanny Morris Bridges, born in 1947 and married Patty Jean Johnson; Rodger Allen Bridges, born in 1950 and married Deborah Jean Keeling; and Flora Lee Bridges, born in 1956 and married Michael Daniel Smith.

M.D. died on March 15, 2001 at the age of 82 at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah.  He was buried in the Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Paducah.  Lora Dean died on December 26, 2012 at the age of 91 at Western Baptist Hospital.  She was buried in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens next to her husband.

Lora Dean

 

M.D. and Lora Dean tombstone

LINEAGE:  (Morris Dale “M.D” Bridges was the son of Ira Clifton and Flo Templeton Bridges Bridges. Ira was the third child of Durwood Stanley and Jane “Jennie” Thomas Bridges. Durwood was the sixth child of Drewry and Peachie Ann Tart Bridges.  Drewry was the fourth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Flo was the second child of Mark Dale and Mallie Mae Lancaster Bridges.  Mark Dale was the fifth child of Cullen Thomas and Martha Ann Virginia Thomas Bridges.  Cullen was the twelfth child of William and Mary Thomas Bridges. William was the fourth child of Drury and Charity Cohoon Bridges. Jane “Jennie” Thomas was the eighth child of William Bridges and Nancy jane Rogers Thomas.  William was the first child of Starkie and Mary Bridges Thomas.  Starkie was the fourth child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.  Martha Ann Virginia Thomas was the third child of Peyton and Sarah L. Ethridge Thomas.  Peyton was the third child of Cullen and Elizabeth Futrell Thomas.  Cullen was the first child of James and Mary Standley Thomas.)