Richard Leighton Bridwell was created on October 21st, 1941, in Detroit, Michigan. He's had a change of address and now sits comfortably with family and friends at the right hand of our Creator.

Richard was a graduate of Will Roger's HS. He was a 1964 graduate of St. John's School of Nursing. It was there that he met his wife of sixty-one years - Judith Hochgraf Bridwell. She was his anchor, his best friend, and his forever partner in all of life's adventures.

Proudly he voluntarily donned the uniform of the United States Army. He served for nearly 10 years, rising to the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, and served with the 24th Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh, Vietnam, from 1968 to 1969.

After returning home, he and the family settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1970, where he became one of the first four Nurse Anesthetists hired by Associated Anesthesiologists at St. Francis Hospital.

Richard is survived by his daughter, Mary Katherine Schexnayder, her husband Troy, and their daughter Paige; and by his son Rick Bridwell, grandchildren Zachary and Lauren and their mother Lisa Clarke Bridwell.

A celebration of life service will be held on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at 11:00 AM at Moore Funeral Home - Southlawn Chapel, 9350 E. 51st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74145. Military honors will be preformed by the US Army Honors Team from Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Please consider donations, in lieu of flowers to:

Catholic Charities
Porta Caeli Hospice House at Catholic Charities
2440 N. Harvard
Tulsa, OK 74115
Tulsa Metro Area Meals on Wheels.