Charles Iceman Bridger

After living a wonderful life of service, kindness, and love, Mr. Charles Iceman Bridger (95) of Bladenboro, NC passed away at Wesley Pines in Lumberton on Thursday, May 29, 2025. He was born on December 16, 1929, in Bladen County to Levie Clayton Sr. and Robbie Iceman Bridger.

His last two years of high school he attended Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Georgia graduating in 1948. While at Riverside he played baseball for the school team. He then attended the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, NC. While a student at UNC he was a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi business fraternity and ROTC. He played right field and pitcher for the UNC Tar Heel baseball team, lettering in 1951. He graduated in 1952 with a BS degree in Business Administration (banking and finance).

Following graduation, he attended officers training school, NCOS, in Newport, Rhode Island. Mr. Bridger served in the US Navy during the Korean/conflict from 1952-1956 earning the rank of LTJG. He served aboard several destroyers, or destroyer escorts, and other different aircraft carriers including the USS Columbus, USS Pittsburg, Intrepid, and Nautilus. He was a target controller for Target Pilotless Aircraft.

In 1956, Mr. Bridger returned to Bladenboro to join his father at the Bank of Bladenboro. The Bank of Bladenboro was a family founded and operated business. It was founded in 1908 by his grandfather, Henry Craven Bridger and his great uncle Robert L. Bridger. For 38 years Charles carried on the tradition his father started service above self. Charles became President and Chairman of the Board of the Bank of Bladenboro in 1973. He served as NC Bankers Association Treasurer for one year. In 1994 the family-owned bank was sold to the Raleigh based First Citizens Bank.

Mr. Bridger was a lifetime member of the First Baptist Church of Bladenboro where he served as Deacon, Sunday School teacher, Treasurer for 33 years, food pantry volunteer and choir member. Mr. Bridger was a member of the Bladenboro Jaycees. He was a former President of the Bladenboro Rotary Club and a recipient of the Paul Harris Fellowship.

Mr. Bridger had many hobbies and interests. He especially enjoyed interacting with people. He loved telling stories and jokes, sharing such a wonderful sense of humor and a contagious laugh. He loved his years playing baseball for UNC and then the Bladenboro Spinners (an industrial league) after returning to Bladenboro. Other interests were fishing at Wrightsville Beach and Black River, playing golf, traveling and music.

Mr. Bridger was predeceased by his parents: Levie Clayton Bridger, Sr. and Robbie Iceman Bridger; his brother Levie Clayton Bridger, Jr. (Marie White Bridger), and his wife of 60 years, Betty Fletcher Bridger.

Mr. Bridger is survived by his second wife Shirley Clark Bridger. He is survived by his five children: Cathy Bridger Burns (Robert) of Kings Mountain, NC; Susan Bridger Ricks (Walter) of Raleigh, NC; Elaine Bridger Mebane (Bill) of Raleigh, NC; Pat Bridger Weeks (Howard) of Spring Hope, NC; and Charles Iceman Bridger Jr. (Colleen) of Hillsborough, NC. He is survived by his nine grandchildren: Clay Burns (Renee) of Matthews, NC; Christopher Burns (Erin) of Tega Cay, SC; Hunter Ricks (Stephanie) of Raleigh, NC; Fletcher Mebane of Asheville, NC; Kemp Mebane (Dani) of Raleigh, NC; Clarke Weeks of Raleigh, NC; Kate Weeks Copeman (Dillon) of Rocky Mount; Sarah Bridger Gillmore (Garrett) of Tuscaloosa, AL; Charlie Bridger (McKenzie) of Charlotte, NC. He is also survived by eight great-grandchildren; Carter and Tyler Burns of Matthews; Riley and Brynn Burns of Tega Cay, SC; Eliza and Simon Bridger Gilmore of Tuscaloosa, AL; Evie Copeman of Rocky Mount and Chloe Mebane of Raleigh.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at 1 pm at the First Baptist Church of Bladenboro followed by a Memorial service at 2 pm.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Bladenboro, PO Box 176, Bladenboro, NC 28320 or the Boys & Girls Homes of Lake Waccamaw, 400 Flemington, Drive, Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450.

We the family of Charles Bridger would like to express our heartfelt gratitude for the tremendous love and support shown by the staff of Wesley Pines in recent months. All of us were truly uplifted by the kind words honoring his memory and the care and concern shown during our time of loss.