About Us
We want to give you a brief history of us, both individually, as a couple and now as a family. Since Peter's "history" is a bit longer than Heather's and James', he should go first.
Take it away, Peter!
Peter James Bridges
Well as most of you can guess, I started out as a child. I was born on a snowy evening in April, April 8, 1956, in Yonkers, New York, where I spent my first 18 years. The son of James Oliver Bridges, an advertising executive, and Joan Doerr Bridges, a secretary, I attended public schools in Yonkers and developed a love and appreciation for music under the tutelage of my school music teachers. I first conducted in public at my 5th grade Holiday Program - "Jolly Old Nicholas" never sounded better - Leonard Bernstein had nothing to worry about.
Making the decision to pursue music as a career, I attended Ithaca College as a Music Education major with organ as my primary instrument. It was at Ithaca I developed my "music philosophy" - "To Glorify God and Inculcate a Love of Music". There I had the privilege of studying conducting with Thomas Dunn of The Handel-Haydn Society of Boston. I also became the Assistant Conductor of the Ithaca College Vocal Jazz Ensemble.
Upon graduating I taught at Oswego Middle School, in Oswego, NY for a year, and then moved on to Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield, NJ for 15 years. There I taught nine choirs and had 76% of the school involved in vocal music.
After leaving New Jersey, I moved to New Hampshire and began working at the East Derry School of Music. I then opened a music studio at the Ted Herbert Music School where I taught voice, piano and keyboard. I was also an Adjunct Faculty Member at Southern New Hampshire University where I taught theory and sight-singing and directed the University choral group, The "SNHU" Singers.
I served two churches as Music Director, St. Theresa's Parish in Henniker and the First Baptist Church in Bradford.
As a musical director and musician in New Hampshire, I worked for The New London Barn Playhouse, Manchester Community Theatre, The New Thalian Players, The Palace Theater, Music and Drama Company, Peacock Players, Concord Community Players, The Misfit Toys Players, The Londonderry Leach Library and of course The Majestic Theatre, where I first met Heather.
Ok, dear it's your turn now!
EDITOR'S NOTE: May 24, 2008: When Peter and I met, we knew that he had a rare condition called NASH (see Peter's liver page) for more information. In late summer/early fall of 2005, this condition progressed and by January of 2006, Peter was quite ill. We were told he needed a liver transplant. Peter was hospitalized in March while we waited for a transplant with complications from numerous infections. He did eventually get his transplant (a liver and kidney transplant) and it went well, but Peter succumbed to a rare and deadly hospital-acquired infection called Acinetobacter. He returned home to our Heavenly Father on June 1, 2006. James and I miss him every second of every hour of every day. He was a beautiful man, the most incredible person I have ever known, and I will always be proud to say I am Mrs. Peter J. Bridges.
Heather Jean Stockwell Bridges
I was born in Beverly, Massachusetts (my mother’s hometown) on August 27, 1973, although, my parents actually lived in Marblehead, Massachusetts (my father’s hometown) - - there were no hospitals in Marblehead, so they had to go to Beverly. I lived with my parents, Robert Stockwell, a salesman in the food service industry, and Maryellen Stockwell, a 7th grade English teacher, in Marblehead until I was two years old. Then we moved to Merrimack, New Hampshire - - but, I attended school at St. Mary of the Annunciation in Danvers, Massachusetts since my parents both continued to work in Massachusetts.
We lived in Merrimack until I was 6 years old, and then we moved to Beverly, Massachusetts were I spent the rest of my childhood. A year after moving there, my brother, Sean, was born. He’s in the Navy now - - he has some technical job on his ship, but I have no idea how to explain it. Anyway, after graduating from Beverly High School in 1991, I attended the United States Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT for one year. It was an experience I will never forget, but it was not for me. So, I moved on to Salem State College, where I graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelors of General Studies in Music, Theatre and English. After that, I worked as the Office Administrator at RE/MAX Real Estate in Beverly, and then as the Community Relations Coordinator at Borders Books in Music in Peabody. From there, I went to work at the Peabody Institute Library in Peabody, first as the Children’s Library Assistant and eventually as the Head of Children’s Services (while I worked in Peabody, I earned a Master of Science in Library and Information Sciences from Simmons College).
In December of 2003, I went to work as the Assistant Director and Head of Children’s Services at the Leach Library in Londonderry, NH. I loved my job. I moved to New Hampshire to be closer to the library. Of course, in between all of this school and work, I jammed in a whole lot of theatre! I have performed in and directed musicals and plays with the following groups. In Massachusetts: Pentucket Players, Neverland Theatre, The Peabody Library Players, Salem State College, Marblehead Little Theatre, and Lynn Community Theatre. In New Hampshire: Majestic Theatre, Music and Drama Company, Manchester Community Theatre, The First Baptist Church of Bradford, Kearsarge Regional Elementary School at Bradford, The Londonderry Leach Library, and the Palace Second Stage. I met Peter doing shows at Majestic, and we continued to work on shows together throughout our engagement and marriage.
After Peter passed away in June of 2006, I left my job in Londonderry and spent the summer with our son, James. He spent a lot of time with friends and family while I was at the hospital with Peter most of that spring, so we needed some time together. Then in August of 2006, I started my current position as Media Generalist (school librarian) with the Kearsarge Regional School District in New Hampshire. I work in two small elementary schools and I love my job! It is the perfect fit for a single mother, and a person who loves children and books and technology!
And now to our precious child . . .
James Edward Bridges
Wie gehts! I was the baby formally known as Helmut (when I was in Mommy's tummy), but Mommy and Daddy changed my name to James Edward. I'm named after my maternal great-grandfather, James Edward McGrail, and my paternal grandfather, James Oliver Bridges. I arrived at 3:37 p.m. on Saturday October 9, 2004 at the Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH. I weighed in at 6 lbs. 6 oz and was 20.5 inches long. I am now 3 years old and full of energy! I love Power Rangers, Care Bears, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Disney movies, music, and stuffed animals!
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A GREETING TO JAMES EDWARD 
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In Memoriam G. W. Bush Rally - October 1, 2004
Created by Heather J. and Peter J. Bridges
http://www.inhisgrip.net/about us.html
