James Anderson Bridges, Jr.

James Anderson Bridges, Jr., age 83, of Valdosta, passed away on March 11, 2026, at South Georgia Medical Center following an extended illness.

Born on May 2, 1942, in Hawkinsville, Georgia, he was the son of the late James Anderson Bridges, Sr., and Charlotte Dennard Bridges. A 1960 graduate of Pineview High School, James learned a strong work ethic from his father and applied it throughout his life. As a teenager working in his father’s garage, he became a highly skilled mechanic. At 15, he built his first car, “Miss Carriage,” from spare parts and raced it successfully at Macon Dragway before being banned from the unlimited class.

James earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts from Georgia Southern University in 1964 and later received his master’s and six-year degrees in Education Administration from the University of Georgia. He taught drafting at Fitzgerald High School and Glynn Academy before joining Valdosta High School in 1972 to develop its vocational education program. In 1984, he was named Director of Valdosta Technical Institute and later served as President of Valdosta Technical College for 22 years. Deeply committed to helping students of all ages reach their potential through hands-on training, he created the Georgia Work Ethics Program, which earned him recognition in 1993 as the nation’s top educator from the American Vocational Educators Association. After 42 years dedicated to vocational education, he retired in 2006 and always credited the instructors, teachers, administrators, and staff for the success of the institution, now known as Wiregrass Georgia Technical College.

Beyond his professional life, James remained active in the Valdosta community through the Rotary Club, the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, United Way, Best Buddies, the South Georgia Antique Car Club, and the Masonic Lodge. After retirement, he restored antique cars and repaired boats, drawing on the mechanical skills he had developed as a young man. A longtime member of First Methodist Church in Valdosta, he served as an active leader on many committees and was also a strong supporter of Mosaic United Methodist Church.

Family was central to James’s life. In 1965, he married Joanna Bennett, daughter of the late Ehrlich and Pearl Manning Bennett, in a small country church outside Blackshear, Georgia. Joanna, herself a dedicated educator, was his steadfast partner and greatest supporter. Together they raised two sons, Jason and Justin. Jason, a retired United States Navy captain and now an engineer with Lockheed Martin, married Tanya Nolan in 1998. They have two daughters, Mia, a graduate of William and Mary, and Audrey, a junior at Oberlin. Justin is an educator and talented musician. James is also survived by his sister, Sandra Bridges Anderson and brother-in-law Bill Anderson of Hawkinsville; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Stanley (Ann) Bennett of Blackshear and Linda Bennett of Mershon; his close friend Bill Aldrich of Valdosta; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law who were like siblings to him, as well as several nieces and nephews.

The world is a better place because James Bridges lived fully, serving his community, his students, and his family with dedication and care.