[Posted June 23, 2023]
Longtime Hillsdale booster and activist Glenn Bridger died on May 16 after a brief illness.
Glenn is survived by his wife, his two daughters (and their husbands), three grandsons, his brother (and wife), and his first cousin and his 3 adopted grandchildren. He was active in Toastmasters for all of his 30 plus years in Portland.
He will be remembered by a Celebration of Life open house on August 17, 2023, from 3- 7pm at his home.
The list of Glenn's contributions since moving to Hillsdale 32 years ago is a long one. He helped found some of our most important and enduring civic institutions, including the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association and the Farmers' Market. In addition to Hillsdale-specific efforts, he was very active in SW Neighborhoods, Inc., serving as president from 2002-2007 and sitting on numerous committees. As well, he was involved with many city committees concerned with SW planning and infrastructure.
At the time of his death, he was still very active, maintaining a presence with SW Trails PDX and the neighborhood association. At the neighborhood association, Glenn served as vice-president, where his experience in land use and transportation issues was put to good use analyzing new development permit applications and proposals as well as transportation changes in SW Portland.
Hillsdale resident Don Baack describes Glenn as an effective leader, councilor, volunteer, compassionate listener, and supportive team member on many issues. Glenn lived in Hillsdale, says Baack, but his focus was on the entire SW community, whose needs he was very effective in keeping at the forefront and communicating on a broader scale.
Baack also credits Glenn and his wife Karen with contributing to the success of the annual Thanksgiving Hillsdale Community Walk. The Bridgers provided the scones, coffee and tea for the event for 27 years. "No matter the weather or where we walked, they found a place to set up shop to enjoy the scones and talk about our neighborhood and to develop community," Baack remembers.
"His mild manner encouraged all of us to use our better selves to participate no matter our ethnicity, color, age, language or customs. I am sure we will all miss Glenn’s wisdom, gentle touch and kind words."
In 2014 Glenn was the subject of a profile in the SW Community Connection. The article closes with Glenn's encouragement for more people to volunteer: " for "Our children and grandchildren. Give their world an inheritance they can share."
—Valeurie Friedman
Do you have any memories to share? Let us know.