Stephen M. Berridge

Stephen Michael Berridge passed away October 10, 2021, while in hospice care at Accordius Health at Bay Pointe in Virginia Beach. Stephen had suffered irrecoverable brain damage after contracting Pneumonia at the same facility two weeks earlier while in quarantine awaiting rehabilitation for a back injury. Stephen was 74 years old. Stephen leaves behind three loving sons, Brian, Edward and Michael Berridge and his adopted daughter Julie Reigel. He also leaves behind his two brothers, Randy and Robert Berridge and their wives Sharon and Lana. He will be missed by a large extended family including many nieces, nephews, cousins and his grandchildren Brandon and Katie. Stephen was widowed twice losing his first wife Bertha Gloria Berridge to cancer in 1994 and his second wife Susan Linda Crowell to C.O.P.D. and Pneumonia in late 2020. Born in Evansville Indiana in 1947, son to Edward Frederick Berridge and Alma Rose Berridge, Stephen grew up with a happy fun-loving family and went on many trips across the country. After graduating Bossy High School in 1965, he attended college for a few years while working nights in a plastics factory. Stephen then Joined the United States Navy in 1968, serving honorably for 25 years primarily in navigation as a Quarter Master. He Retired with the rank of Quarter Master Chief and completed a master’s degree in Sociology while still in the service. Stephen met Bertha Gloria Orjales Gaiveras while based in London, England in the early 70’s. They married soon after and gave birth to Brian and Edward before transferring to Naples, Italy where Michael was born. Stephen also met his future wife Susan at the time as she would initially be married to his friend and best man John D. Crowell. After returning to the states in late 1976, Stephen and Bertha bought a home on Grenfell Ave in Aragona Village in Virginia Beach where they raised their sons and Bertha’s daughter Julie. After Bertha died and his kids had moved out on their own, Stephen was lonely for a few years until he reconnected with his old friend Susan Crowell. Susan had separated from John a year or so prior. Stephen and Sue married in December of 1999 and lived together until her passing 21 years later. Stephen worked many jobs after retiring from the Navy, trying to learn new skills and meet new people all the time. Stephen loved movies, paintings and dogs and had a variety of hobbies over the years including writing hundreds of poems. In the spring of 2005 Stephen suffered a stroke that prevented him from working again but he recovered well enough to enjoy the next 16 years he had remaining. Stephen now takes his most important journey yet, to meet God and his son Jesus in search of his eternal reward where his family looks forward to seeing him again in the Kingdom to come. May he know only peace, love and joy for all time. Amen. Services will be private.