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Cecil Kenneth Bridges

1916 - 2006

Cecil Kenneth Bridges, 89, of Thornton, died on Thursday, July 13, 2006, at the Hospice of North Iowa, Mason City.

Funeral services were held on Monday, July 17, at the Thornton First United Methodist Church with Pastor Dave Teixeira, of the Ventura Missionary Church in Ventura, California, presiding. Interment followed in the Ell Township Cemetery in Klemme. The Retz-Grarup Funeral Home, Thornton, was in charge of the arrangements.

Cecil, the youngest of seven children, was born on August 29, 1916, on a farm northwest of Klemme, the son of Herman and Elizabeth (Fanslow) Bridges. He attended rural schools in Hancock County and graduated from the Klemme High School.

Cecil married Lucille Stille on May 21, 1938, in Northwood. He then worked for several years in the Jacobs Hardware Store in Klemme. During WW II, Cecil was a welder in the shipyards in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

In 1949, Cecil and Lucille started farming in the Thornton area and in 1954 they moved onto their own farm. During this time, Cecil clerked many farm sales. He also worked for the Cerro Gordo ASCS office as a field representative, sealing corn, measuring fields, and at many local elevators sampling government corn during harvest. In 1980, Cecil and Lucille retired from farming and moved into Thornton.

He was a faithful member of the First United Methodist Church in Thornton and was a member of the Thornton Lions Club for many years. Over the years, he served on the Thornton Co-op Elevator Board and also on various boards of the Thornton Methodist Church. Cecil enjoyed fishing, golfing, hunting, and playing cards.

Cecil will be remembered mowing his lawn, for his sense of humor, his love of life, and his caring for family and friends.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Lucille; three sons, Stan and wife, Marie of Hampton, Rock and wife, Suzanne of Lake Mills and Chad and wife, Sherry of Plattsmouth, Nebraska; and sister, Irene (Toots) Davis of DeRidder, Louisiana; seven grandchildren, LeeAnn Wickwire, Sally Stanbrough, Barry Bridges, Brian Bridges, Gail Bridges, Laurie Bridges and Amy Teixeira; two step-grandchildren, Michele Holt and Clint Fielding; 12 great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Gladys Drake, Faye Beier and Maude Stille; two brothers, Orville and Glen (Sport); and one step-grandchild, Vince Fielding.

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