Wednesday, December 24, 2014 7:43 am

William Worth Bridges, Jr., age 84, passed away on Sunday, December 14, 2014.  

Worth was a devoted, loving, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

Mr. Bridges was born near Ellenboro, in Rutherford County on June 5, 1930, the son of the late William Worth Bridges, Sr. & Cova Kansas Bridges.  Mr. Bridges moved from Rutherford County in 1960, and has been a long time resident of Tifton, GA, where he was employed by Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC). He served in a number of capacities at ABAC over the years before retiring as the Vice President & Dean of Student Affairs in 1995, after almost 28 years of service. He graduated from Hollis High School in Hollis & farmed the family farm in Rutherford County in his teens & twenties. While continuing to farm, he attended Gardner Webb College in Boiling Springs, for his first two years. He then moved his family to the Greenville, SC area, attending & graduating from Furman University.  He later obtained both a Masters Degree & a PhD from The University of Georgia.  He was a member of Northside Baptist Church in Tifton & a former member of Walls Baptist Church in Bostic.  He loved fishing & gardening, & for many years after retirement, he used his counseling skills in volunteer work for the American Red Cross.

Mr. Bridges had recently celebrated his 65th Wedding Anniversary with his late wife, Hazel Marie Greene Bridges, also a native of Rutherford County, who passed away earlier this year. Survivors include his son & daughter-in-law, Steve & Elizabeth Bridges of Canton, GA; his daughter & son-in-law, Robin & Ron Henning of Macon, GA; grandchildren Stephen, Will, & Laura Bridges, & Kristen & Caleb Henning; great-grandchildren Maci & Emory Bridges; two brothers-in law, Gerald Jones of Shelby & Joseph Ray Greene & his wife, Mary Frances of Matthews.  In addition to his wife & his parents, Mr. Bridges was preceded in death by his daughter, Patsy Charlene Bridges, two brothers, William Norris Bridges & Clarence Evans Bridges, & his sister Thelma Doris Bridges Dycus. 

Funeral service were held at Walls Baptist Church & graveside service in Walls Cemetery.  Dr. Bob Lamb officiated the services.  

Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, are suggested to either the Northside Baptist Church Building Fund at 4605 Murray Ave, Tifton, GA 31794, or to Walls Baptist Church at 749 Walls Church Rd, Bostic, NC 28018.

A memorial service will be held at Northside Baptist Church in Tifton, GA, at a date to be determined later.  

McKinney-Landreth & Carroll Funeral and Cremation Service is serving the Bridges family.