Irene Bridge

July 14, 1942 - January 12, 2020
Irene Bridge, born July 14 1942, St. Paul, Alberta. Died Jan 12 2020, Nelson BC.
A memorial service will take place on Sunday January 26, 2020 at 2 pm at the Procter Hall.
Irene grew up in Saddle Lake Alberta. Irene was a member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation and spoke Cree as her first language. Irene attended residential school near Saddle Lake Alberta. After graduating from high school, Irene chose nursing school in Edmonton, Alberta. After graduating from Nursing School, she pursued work in the North West Territories as a public health nurse in Fort Simpson. There she met Richard Bridge and they married and shortly after moved to Kispiox, BC, where their daughter Gwen was born. When Gwen was 18 months old they moved to their home in Sunshine Bay, where shortly after they had Christopher. Christopher (Tara) blessed Irene with 4 beautiful grandchildren: Quinlan, Ariel, Alice and Mila. They will miss their kukum, as will Axel, Anna, Magnus and August and their parents Gwen and Jyrki. She leaves her brothers, Carl, Patrick, and Eric as well as sisters Marilyn and Lillian. She was predeceased by her parents Ralph and Edna Shirt and brothers, Arthur and Tony, and sisters Caroline and Vivian.
Irene worked at Willowhaven Hospital which was at 6 mile and then at Kootenay Lake Hospital until she retired. After she retired, she spent a 10 year stint as an outpost nurse, where she was stationed in places around the north, including Aklavik and Deline.
Irene made friends wherever she went, she was gregarious and a particularly kind person who loved to show her care to her friends and family any chance she could. Her friends were a great source of joy and energy throughout her life, and a source of phenomenal support to her and her family during the last 18 months.
Irene was a creative person who enjoyed quilting, knitting (socks for family were a particular passion), sewing, as well as gardening. She is greatly missed by her family, her loving friends and community.