Steve Harvey Left Heartbroken After Devastating Family Loss
Steve Harvey has never been shy about how much family means to him. The comedian, 69, has spent decades building a brand around laughter, love, and legacy, and it is that same foundation that makes this week’s news hit differently.
On Friday, June 5, Harvey took to Instagram to announce the passing of his father-in-law, James Bridges Sr., the father of his wife, Marjorie Harvey. He did not just post a tribute. He posted a love letter to a man he clearly considered one of the great ones.
Harvey shared a photo of his late father-in-law alongside a caption that said everything without saying too much. He referred to James Bridges Sr. not as his father-in-law, but as “Pop Bridges,” and credited him as a living example of faith, fatherhood, and family. That kind of language tells you the relationship went far beyond obligation. It tells you Steve Harvey genuinely loved this man.
James Bridges Sr. passed away on Monday, June 1, at the age of 91, according to local Memphis outlet ABC 24. His death came just days before his family gathered to watch the city of Memphis officially name a street in his honor, a ceremony that took place on June 4.
A City Stopped to Honor the Man Behind the Name
The street naming was not some routine municipal gesture. The Memphis City Council approved the move in May, before James Bridges Sr. died, which means his family had the rare and bittersweet experience of watching the city celebrate him while he was still alive.
By the time the ceremony happened on June 4, he had already passed, making the occasion both a tribute and a farewell.
Harvey attended the event alongside Marjorie and made clear that this honor was not about celebrity proximity. It was about the character of one man. “This is the first time I’ve been to a street naming of a person just cause he was a great man,” Harvey said at the ceremony. That quote says a lot, especially coming from someone who has stood in rooms full of famous and powerful people his entire career.
The city’s official news release portrayed a man who spent his life building things. James Bridges Sr. owned several businesses over the years, including Bridges Concessions, Bridges Sales and Service, and BTW Transportation, and also worked as a real estate investor.
His professional footprint extended across Velsicol Chemical, International Harvester, Memphis City Schools, and Shelby County Correction Center, where those who worked alongside him say his influence is still felt.
Fans and Followers Showed Up in the Comments
When Harvey shared the news on Instagram, his followers did not hold back. The comment section filled up quickly with people offering condolences, prayers, and kind words for the Harvey family. One commenter referred to James Bridges Sr. as a king and called on him to rest in power.
The warmth in those responses speaks to something real. Steve Harvey has cultivated a public image that feels personal, and his followers tend to show up for the moments that matter. This was one of those moments. Even people who never met James Bridges Sr. seemed to understand that the loss was significant.
Another commenter spoke directly to the kind of man he appeared to be, noting that his presence had been impactful and that his absence would be felt. That sentiment tracks with everything Harvey said about him publicly.
The Family Behind the Fame
Steve Harvey married Marjorie, his third wife, in 2007, and the two have built one of the more high-profile blended families in entertainment.
Harvey brought four children into the marriage from previous relationships, including twin daughters Brandi and Karli Harvey and a son, Broderick Harvey Jr., whom he shares with his first wife, Marcia. He also has a son named Wynton Harvey from his second marriage to Mary.
Marjorie came into the marriage with three children of her own: Morgan Hawthorne, Jason Harvey, and Lori Harvey, whom Steve formally adopted after they wed. That is a family of eight children across two households, held together by two people who clearly took the definition of commitment seriously.
James Bridges Sr. was the patriarch behind Marjorie’s side of that family, and by Harvey’s own account, he was the kind of father-in-law who set the standard. When a man as publicly expressive as Steve Harvey calls someone one of the best men he has ever met, it carries weight. Pop Bridges, by all accounts, earned that.
A Legacy Built Long Before the Street Got His Name
There is something quietly powerful about a man whose son-in-law, one of the most famous entertainers in America, stands at a public ceremony and says the honor was deserved simply because the man was great. Not because of titles, wealth, or connections. Just because of who he was. That is the kind of legacy most people spend a lifetime chasing and never quite reach.
For the Harvey family, grief and gratitude are sitting side by side right now. They buried a man who modeled exactly what Steve Harvey says he believes in. Pop Bridges lived it first, and he lives on.
