Obituary of Orene Valentine Bridges

Orene Valentine Bridges, age 95, passed away on Sunday, April 15, 2018, in Ardmore, Okla.  Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, April 19, 2018, at Trinity Baptist Church with Pastor Terry Tolbert officiating. A 2:00 pm interment will follow in Tecumseh Cemetery, Shawnee, Okla.

Orene was born on February 14, 1923, to Albion Allen Duvall and Ada Lee (Rutherford) Duvall in St Louis, Oklahoma. She attended school in Earlsboro, Okla., and she worked on the family farm. She and James A. Macy married in 1941 at Fairview Baptist Church in Shawnee, Okla., and from this union came two daughters. In 1966, they moved to Ringling, Okla. Orene worked at Stromburg Carlson for 10 years before her health forced her into an early retirement. The couple moved to Ardmore in 1976, and on December 11, 1978, James passed. Orene moved to Tecumseh and attended Seminole State College. She met Ira E. Bridges and in 1981 they were married at First Freewill Baptist Church in Shawnee, Okla., and she returned to Ardmore where Ira lived. She was a volunteer for Enon Baptist Association, and worked as a Pink Lady at the Hospital for many years, was a member of the Red Hats, and was a member of Trinity Baptist Church since the 1970’s. Orene was a former Queen of the Chickasaw Nation Valentine Banquet. She loved to sew and was known for her Popeye and Olive Oil dolls and puppets she loved creating for children. The grandchildren called her “Grandma-earrings” because of her earring collection. Orene loved all children and she enjoyed being with her family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, James Arthur Macy and Ira E. Bridges, son-in-law, Pastor Jack Dewitt, great-grandchild, Jordan Black, and nine siblings.

Orene is survived by her daughters: Janita Black and husband, Bill, of Ardmore and Janette Dewitt of Shawnee. Nine grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. One sister, Helen Chaffin, of Seminole, Okla.

Family visitation will be held on Wednesday evening, from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm, April 18, 2018, at Griffin ~ Hillcrest Funeral Home.