Catherine M. “Cathy” Bridgman, 71, of Ord passed away on Wednesday, March 11, 2015, at the Valley County Health System Hospital in Ord.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 17, 2015, at the Ord First United Methodist Church with Reverend Trever Rook officiating. Burial will be in the Ord City Cemetery. Ord Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Catherine May was born March 30, 1943, at Sutherland, Nebraska to William D. and Margaret E. (Nelson) Barry. She was raised in Paxton, Nebraska where she received her early education and graduated from high school. She continued her education at McCook Community College.

Following high school graduation, Cathy worked as a nurse’s aide in Ogallala. She also was dental assistant in Lincoln and taught rural country school north of Ericson for two years and for a year at Wellfleet.

Cathy was united in marriage to Rex Bridgman on February 10, 1963, at Paxton, Nebraska.
While living in Manhattan, Kansas, Cathy was the secretary for the Intramural and Recreation at KSU for six years.

In 1973, the couple settled in Ord, Nebraska. Cathy was the bookkeeper for Sack Lumber Company and in 1989, she began working for FEMA. She traveled and worked a as computer trainer in the disaster fields for FEMA until her retirement in 2009.

She was a member of the Ord First United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. She enjoyed arts, crafts and designing beaded jewelry. Cathy hosted many gatherings at her home for her coffee friends and her family. She was a volunteer for Hospice, and organized crafts and activities at Grandview and Valley View Living Center.

Survivors include her husband, Rex of Ord; and one daughter, Lexanne Bridgman of Rapid City, South Dakota.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and one, sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Bob Lingbloom.