Jeanette Appling Bridges

With deep love and heartfelt sorrow, we announce the peaceful passing of Jeanette Appling Bridges on June 2, 2025 at the age 90. Affectionately known as "Net" and "Nana."

Born on January 20, 1935, in Lexington, Georgia, she was the daughter of W.R. and Ruth Appling.

She lived a life defined by unconditional love, quiet strength, and unwavering devotion to her family. A proud and fiercely nurturing mother, she poured her heart into raising her son, Rusty.

To know Nana was to know honesty, warmth, and wisdom. She had a strong will—always encouraging those around her to do right and stand tall. Her home was where weekends were spent making memories, where children were always welcome, and where the smell of her homemade biscuits meant you were exactly where you belonged.

She was preceded in death by her parents, W.R. and Ruth Appling; her husband, Lanier Bridges; her sons, Rusty Bridges and two infant boys; and her brothers, Joe Lewis Appling and W.R. "Bill" Appling Jr.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 8, 2025, at 3:00 PM at Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, East Chapel. The family will receive visitors prior to the service, from 2:00 PM until service time.

She is survived by her siblings Mary Thaxton, Faye Hill, and Fred Thomas (Eleanor) Appling; her goddaughter, Donna (Paul) Grady; her granddaughter, Amanda Eve Bridges (Turner); and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Nana had a deep love for life’s simple joys: tending to her flower garden, caring for the people she loved, and stretching every penny with a grace and grit only she could pull off. She had a quiet humor, a loving spirit, and a legacy that will live on in the lives she shaped.

Though she has left this world, her love remains—rooted deep in the hearts of her family, blooming and shining in every memory we hold dear.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:

March of Dimes https://marchofdimes.org/donate/

Ians Friends Foundation https://iansfriendsfoundation.com/donate/

Lord & Stephens Funeral Homes, East, Athens, GA is assisting the family with the arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com