Vanessa Lynn Eldridge, 66, filled her life with good stories, laughter, and the people she loved. With a wicked sense of humor and almost always a book in her hand, she found happiness in life’s familiar pleasures: something sweet and a story she couldn’t put down. A lifelong reader, Vanessa especially loved Stephen King and could happily spend hours lost in the pages of a good book. Getting her to put one down might take some convincing, but a good true crime mystery on Investigation Discovery stood a fighting chance. Between Stephen King and her murder shows, her choice of entertainment certainly kept things interesting. Add a sweet treat, and she had the makings of a perfectly lovely afternoon. For those who knew her, it will be easy to picture Vanessa with a book in hand, caught up in another world. Those familiar little details, her humor, her favorite stories, and her love of sweets, made her unmistakably herself and will remain among the fondest ways to remember her. Above all, Vanessa was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and sister. She is survived by her husband and companion of 46 years, Ronnie Eldridge; her daughter, Cassondra Schindler, and her husband, Rocky Schindler; her six grandchildren, Zachary Schindler, Cheyanne Winburn, Madelyn Schindler, Alexandria Winburn, Christian Schindler, and Bella Schindler; her great granddaughter, Ivy Hines; her brother, Tony Bradley; and her sisters, Melba (Bradley) Tirey and Cheryle Bradley.She was preceded in death by her parents, Bernard Bradley and Melba (Oatsvall) Bradley. Vanessa’s story will always hold a treasured place in the hearts of those who loved her. She leaves them with countless reasons to smile and everyday moments that became their favorite memories. And to all those she leaves behind, she would say, whenever you think of me, remember: “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”