Debra Ann Bridges, 49, of Athens, died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008, at Woods Memorial Hospital.

She was born in Athens, and was a resident of McMinn County all of her life. She was a special education teacher at Tellico Plains Junior High School and a member of the Athens Pilot Club. She attended Allen Memorial United Methodist Church, and was preceded in death by her grandparents, William Lawrence and Doran Craig Sharp and William Harve and Kathryn Brown Bridges.

Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Nina Marie and Josh Johnson of Athens; her parents, Joe and Norma Sharp Bridges of Riceville; one brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Judy Bridges of Athens; two nephews, Josh Bridges and Jeff Bridges, both of Athens; one aunt, Sarah Bridges of Isle of Palm, S.C.; one great aunt, Bernice Riley of Athens; and three cousins, Sherry Bridges and Susan Bridges, both of Isle of Palm, S.C., and Bobby Bridges of Savannah, Ga.

Funeral services will be 3 p.m. Sunday in the chapel of Laycock-Hobbs Funeral Home with the Rev. Ogle Wattenbarger and the Rev. Jeff Wright officiating. Burial will follow in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

Active pallbearers will be Jimmy Brannon, Joe Ingram, Tom Reece, Jeff Bridges, Josh Bridges and Thomas Crowe.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the McMinn Regional Humane Society, P.O. Box 7, Athens, TN 37371-0007; or to the American Cancer Society, c/o Faye Forgety, 120 County Rd. 447, Athens, TN 37303.

Those unable to attend may send condolences to mailto:condolences@laycock-hobbs.com