Joel Robert Bridges, Sr.'s Obituary
Joel Robert Bridges, Sr., passed away Tuesday, January 23, 2018 after a long and varied life.
A Christian business man, cowboy, entrepreneur, world’s foremost breeder of miniature horses and miniature zebu cows, former funeral director, real estate investor.
Born to a sharecropper family in Cadiz, KY, he left for Detroit at age 18 with eight dollars in his pocket. From that beginning he managed to save enough to open and grow a small produce market into two of the largest open air markets in Detroit .
From that point on he continued to succeed in various ventures, opening one of the first five star mobile home parks in Florida, Buying and selling various real estate parcels, culminating in his establishing Komoko miniature horse ranch in Newberry
This beloved man is survived his wife, Lucille Delgado Bridges of Gainesville, son, Joel Robert Bridges II & wife(Taffy)of St. Augustine, FL, daughter, Janet Diane Bridges Rogalski & husband (Dale)of Newberry, one half sister, Nancy Bridges Chisenhall of Clarksville, TN five granddaughters, eight great grandchildren & two great-great grandchildren.
Predeceased by his parents Sheffer Brown and Enola Byrd Downs Bridges of Cadiz, KY; two brothers, Howard McKinley Bridges & John Lacey Bridges of Detroit, MI, two sisters, Thelma Brown Bridges Calhoun & Nina Pearl Bridges Taylor of Cadiz, KY, one half sister, Louise Bridges of Cadiz, KY and daughter, Judith Ann Bridges Waddell of Gainesville, FL.
A celebration of life will be held Friday, January 26, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the chapel of WILLIAMS-THOMAS FUNERAL HOME WESTAREA, 823 NW 143rd Street. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Central.
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