LaVerne Bridges

LaVerne Elizabeth “Weslow” Bridges

Born at home in Frostburg on May 27, 1934, to the late Elmer and Anna May Weslow.

In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by her Husband, Robert “Bridgie” Bridges; Sister, Anna Rankin, Brother, William “Fred” Weslow and two very dear friends, Jane Shook and Grace Felker.

Surviving are her two daughters; Diane Bridges Spriggs (Greg) and Michele Bridges Bennett (fiancé Chancey Dell); grandchildren, Emily Bennett, Zachary Bennett (Allie), and Abby Bennett; great-granddaughter, Myshel Villanueva; Siblings, Harvey Weslow (Kay), Stanley Weslow (Shirley), Carol Gomer, and Shirley Pryor.

LaVerne was a member of the Frostburg Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses since the age of 19.

“Mom loved to read and loved to sing, two things she instilled into both daughters. She taught us so many old songs from the 40’s and 50’s, which we, in turn, taught to her grandchildren; so the legacy continues. Mom spent a lot of time in the spring and summer tending her flowers; she loved their beauty. But she didn’t have a vegetable garden. No canning for her! She was the World’s Best Grandma! She took to grand mothering like no one you ever saw. Her grandchildren and her great-granddaughter were the absolute JOYS of her life! She was totally devoted to them for the past 30+ years. In return, Emily, Zachary, and Abby continued to spend lots of time with Grandma, even after they were teenagers and adults. That relationship was never broken. Myshel filled the last five years of Mom’s life with hugs and kisses and lots of playtime, even as she regularly visited the nursing home to visit and entertain both Mom and Rose (roommate). She and Mom always waved and called goodbye over and over, as we would walk away.  Mom loved her brothers and sisters and was willing to do anything within her power to love, support, and help them. Nothing made her happier than spending time laughing and reminiscing with them! We will miss her terribly. There is a huge Mom-shaped hole in our hearts.”

“Today, I found out that my grandmother left this world.  As far back as I can remember, my grandma and I were always very close. I remember during the school year, Emily and I would alternate weekends to go to her house to stay. I also remember in the summer months going to her house for a week at a time. I remember on the weekends she would make my favorite dinner, (scrambled eggs with ham and fried potatoes), waking up the next day and she would make my favorite breakfast which was waffles. She would sit with me and watch Saturday morning cartoons, (as it turns out she ended up being almost as big a fan of Pokemon as I was). I remember how, although some of her views were a little different from mine, (she didn't celebrate Christmas), she LOVED the Home Alone series. She and I would both sit and laugh and laugh as the 2 burglars got their butts kicked toward the end of each movie. She helped me grow my very 1st tomato plant and helped me and Emily learn how to ride our bikes without training wheels. I remember trips to the lake at Rocky Gap in the summer, nonstop sledding in the winter, and many, many trips to the theaters on the weekends. On Saturday mornings, I would come out into the kitchen and she would always have the newspaper out with her where she had circled all the areas that were supposed to have yard sales that day. We would go out yard sailing for 2 or 3 hours easily, and then stop somewhere to have lunch. I remember how we would camp in the backyard with a tent and read books; and how we would sit out on the big swing under the tree and just talk about life.

As I got a little older and was able to drive, I enjoyed coming out to visit her, and take her places when I could. She would always ask me how I was doing, if I had any girlfriends, or how school was going. After college, I just remember how good it felt to go out and see her and just spend time with her just because. After I moved away, any time I would be coming back to town, she would always offer to let me stay with her and she would emphasize how she would love to have me and how it was never any kind of inconvenience at all. I would come and stay with her and we would talk about what always going on in my life, in her life, with my family, whether or not I had any girlfriends of course, how work was going and such.

I haven't been home since January 2019, and I had just been talking to her not long ago about how my wife and I were planning to come up in September, and that I really hoped that the whole pandemic had died down enough that I would be able to see her. I'm really going to miss you, Grandma. Love, Zach”