GORHAM- Doris Ellen Bridges, 79, of Gorham, ME, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on April 11, 2024, concluding her courageous journey with cancer.
Dory was born February 28, 1945, in Portland, Maine to Cecil and Ellen (Hannaford) Bridges. She grew up with her siblings Ruth Ann, Carl, Connie, Sherb, and Debby in Gorham, Maine where they always had family around. Her family house on Elm Street was filled with so much love and laughter. Dory graduated from Gorham High School in 1963.
Dory was a proud mother of four children - Wendy, Amy, Betsy, and Chris. She raised her children in the family house where friends and family alike were always welcomed. She went to college at the University of Southern Maine in 1983 to get a degree in Recreational Therapy. She worked hard raising her four kids and did various jobs to support her family until she graduated in 1986. She taught dance at the Virginia Dorr School of Dance and later the Dance Studio of Maine for many years, touching the lives of so many dancers. Her love for dance and her students was felt by all that knew “Mrs Dory.”
Dory began her career as a Recreational Therapist working in pediatrics at Maine Medical Center. Her calm demeanor and caring heart gave so much comfort to the families she worked with. In 1994, Dory left pediatrics to work instead in nursing home facilities. She worked at several facilities in the area before settling in at Gorham House. She was adored by her residents and colleagues, and was so passionate about this work. The highlight of her career there was working as the Activities Coordinator and Recreational Therapist at the Cottage. Dory had such a gift for meeting patients where they were and making their days brighter. She retired after over 25 years of service in March of 2020.
Dory was fulfilled in her professional life, but her favorite and most important roles that she held were as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, sister - and not necessarily in that order! She loved reading, gardening, feeding and watching the birds, and knitting. One thing she was known for was sending cards to her family and friends for every occasion.
Dory’s life was filled with love and humor. She passed on a legacy of kindness in her family, instilling the Golden Rule that you should treat others the way you want to be treated in all of her children, grandchildren, and beyond. Right until the very end, she was determined to share her laughter. She would like for it to be on the record that she “graduated from Harvard and married a Kennedy.”
Dory is predeceased by her brother Carl F. Bridges, her sister Connie Bridges Turner, and her beloved parents Cecil F. and Ellen L. Hannaford Bridges. Dory is survived by her four children - Wendy Nowell (Charlie) of Kennebunk; Amy Story (Rob) of Gorham; Betsy Nygren (Kirk) of Gorham; and Christopher Milne (Jen) of Buxton; ten grandchildren - Megan Story Nelson (Kyle) and Lydia Story; Taylor, Lindsey, Erica and Kara Nygren; Hannah and Faith Milne; Joshua and Alicia Nowell; and one great granddaughter, Greta Nelson. She is also survived by her sister Ruth Ann Bridges Ayers (George) of Gorham; her brother Sherb Bridges of Gorham; and sister Debby Bridges Desautel (Joe) of Connecticut, and her many adored nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Her family would like to extend their great appreciation for the loving care Dory received at the end of her life by Southern Maine Hospice and Gosnell Memorial Hospice House.
Visiting hours will be on Sunday, April 28 from 1:00 - 3:00 PM at Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service Chapel, 498 Long Plains Rd, Buxton, ME 04093. A funeral service will follow at 3:00 PM that day. Online condolence messages can be submitted at the funeral home website, www.mainefuneral.com
In lieu of flowers, donations in Dory’s honor to the Gorham BackPack Program are greatly appreciated by her family. Donation checks can be made out to: Gorham School Department with BackPack Program written in the memo line. A receipt will be mailed for tax purposes. Please send to: Hollis Cobb, Finance Officer, Gorham School Department, 75 South Street, Gorham, Maine 04038.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, Buxton, www.mainefuneral.com