Mary Beth Daniels Bridges

Funny, smart, charming, feisty, spirited, sweet, stubborn, curious, determined…. all words to describe Mary Beth Bridges. When she met you, she immediately grilled you about details of your day, your family, where you are from, how many kids, or why not. When she met a new nurse, she always complimented their hair, name, and promptly asked about where they got their accent and tattoos.

Mary Beth lived life to its fullest. She would ask for more – and could never get enough. She was this way about everything, life, experience, new lessons, time, and so on. This meant that she got the very most of her 81 years.

Mary Beth was born in Houston, on July 22, 1941, to Grady Edgar Daniels “Pops” and Dorothy Shephard Daniels “DD.” Her first Christmas Pops was drafted into the Army and served in the war in the Pacific. DD and Mary Beth joined Pops in El Paso when he returned after being injured in the battle of Okinawa.

When Mary Beth was 7, they returned home to Stephenville, and the next January Linda was born. The girls attended school there and Mary Beth often recalled her favorite part of childhood was being a big sister to Linda. Mary Beth was involved in drama, played piano, enjoying being part of the Stingerettes and participating in many church and school programs.

Mary Beth met Truman Bridges at Tarleton College. They were married on September 1, 1962. They completed university degrees and started their family in Las Cruses, New Mexico. Truman and Mary Beth welcomed their first son, Tommy in 1963, their second son, Jimmy in ‘65 and their daughter Becky in ‘66. Mary Beth continued teaching, in an Indian reservation in New Mexico, and Brownfield, Texas while Truman worked in agriculture. During these years she enjoyed learning to paint, decorate and sew. In 1972, they bought a business and moved to Groom, Texas. They owned and managed Bridges Butane and Oil for 12 years.

In Groom, Mary Beth taught social studies, and Texas History for 4th – 7th grades. She attended graduate school at night and completed her Master of Education Degree at West Texas State University. Mary Beth was a gifted teacher. For many years - she would receive notes and get social media posts from students who thanked her for being their teacher.

Being a lifelong learner was central to Mary Beth. She loved learning new things.

Mary Beth’s joy was her family – her children and grandchildren. She liked using her own nicknames for them and loved sharing her favorite moments with anyone who would listen. She meant it when she told us, “I love you more than you know.”

Truman and Mary Beth enjoyed traveling, outdoor and adventures. She loved visiting favorite spots and new cultures. They also loved singing and dancing – even taking square dance lessons when that was a thing. They loved playing games and getting together to visit for hours. Mary Beth was a gifted decorator, cook and enjoyed a spirited discussion on politics and world affairs. She always welcomed anyone from around the world to her home, including foreign exchange students from Australia and Switzerland.

Mary Beth nurtured deep, long-lasting friendships. She always kept in close contact with friends and their families from Stephenville, college and Groom. She would travel across the country and oceans to visit family and friends she wanted to keep close.

In 1985, Truman and Mary Beth moved to Granbury, Texas. While there, she taught at Happy Hill Farm and became one of the first certified dyslexia teachers in Texas. She finished her career as a middle school counselor in Fort Worth, when she retired. Truman and Mary Beth were very active at Acton Baptist Church, where she enjoyed choir, Bible studies and being on the library committee.

She loved being with her children and grandchildren and would make up any excuse possible to be around for every occasion. Sometimes, she didn’t have an excuse and would just show up. That was her way.

What Mary Beth loved most was being a grandmother. As Mimi, she showered Sarah and Brittany with love and attention. She always told everyone who would listen about her granddaughters, sharing their photos and was never prouder with each new accomplishment they achieved. She loved Grandparents’ Day, and any holiday she could squeeze in as much time as possible. Through gymnastics, cheerleading and near the end, to meet their new husbands – as she would say – was a highlight of her life.

Mary Beth was preceded in death by her father and mother, husband, Truman and son, Tommy. They surely had quite a reunion in heaven. She is survived by her sister, Linda (Daniels) Allison, daughter, Rebecca (Dinnin), son-in-law, Kevin Dinnin, her son James Bridges and daughter-in-law, Stacy, and two granddaughters Sarah (Bridges) Sills and Brittany (Bridges) Gobbell.

GRAVESIDE SERVICETHURDAY, JANUARY 12, 202311:00 AMACTON CEMETERY

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to Happy Hill Farm and/or The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for children.

To view the live stream of the service please click here