Joan Beth Bridges

Joan was born on December 6, 1932, in Seward, Nebraska, to Ernest J. Winters and Eleanor C. Garber. She spent her early years growing up in Kansas and Washington before settling in Oklahoma in the mid-1960s. Joan graduated from East High School in Wichita, Kansas, and earned college credits as well.

On October 3, 1987, Joan married J.D. Bridges and they shared nearly thirty years of marriage before his passing in 2017.

Joan found joy in life’s simple and meaningful moments. She loved listening to religious music, had a fondness for the color blue, and cherished peaceful days spent watching the sunrise and sunset by the water, surrounded by birdsong and blooming flowers. She had a playful spirit and loved to laugh at silly songs and lighthearted antics.

As a woman of deep faith, Joan lived her life guided by God’s word. Joan taught those around her to be patient, kind, and to depend on God’s word to guide our lives and actions and to know Jesus, our savior. She would want to be remembered as a special child of God that was forgiven through Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection. Joan found joy in sharing God’s word with children as well as traveling and seeing God’s creations.

Joan had strong work ethic and exceptional typing skills, which helped her build a career at AT&T, where she advanced from a secretarial role into management. She also expressed her creativity through various artistic pursuits that led to a partnership in business.

She was an active member of Lutheran Church of Our Savior and participated in her AT&T union.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest J. Winters and Eleanor C. Winters; her husband, J.D. Bridges; and her sisters, Melba Lytle and her husband John, and Nadeen Wegele and her husband Victor.

She is survived by her nieces Judy Ratzlaff and her husband Paul, and Beverly Lytle and her husband Larry; her nephews, Raymond Lytle, Allen Lytle and his wife Trudi, and Leslie Wegele and his wife Julie; as well as many great-nieces, great-nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews.

A visitation for Joan will be held on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Chapel Hill Funeral Home in Oklahoma City. Her service will take place the following day, Sunday, April 19, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Bethany. Joan will be laid to rest at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Oklahoma City.