Robbie Sharyn Bridges-Hunt

Robbie Sharyn Bridges-Hunt, born on August 29, 1958, in Durham, North Carolina, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2026, at Duke Regional Hospital.

Robbie was a lifelong Durham original: creative, gifted, sharp, and deeply rooted in the people and places that shaped her. She carried a natural artistry in her hands and spirit. To many, she was known as one of the best hair braiders in the city, a woman whose talent, style, and care showed up in everything she touched. She was also an exceptional cook, remembered for her signature recipes, twists she put on dishes she learned from her mother, Robbies' meals brought people close, felt down home, and always left you wanting more.

Her creativity extended beyond the kitchen and the chair. She was a designer who loved to sew and took pride in making her own and others clothes, expressing her unique style through every stitch. She had a deep love for early Motown music and was always ready to put on a show, bringing joy, rhythm, and a sense of fun wherever she went.

A meaningful part of Robbie’s life and labor was connected to The Know Bookstore, the first African-American bookstore in Durham, founded by her big brother, Bruce Bridges, in 1981. More than a bookstore, The Know became a gathering place for culture, conversation, learning, food, and community. Robbie helped carry that legacy in her own way, running and serving as the main cook for the deli side of the store. Through her cooking, presence, and daily work, she helped make The Know a place where people were nourished in more ways than one.

In later years, Robbie also worked as a Security Officer for Allied Security, where she brought the same unique energy and commitment that marked so much of her life. But her work was never limited to a job title. She was a maker, a caretaker, a cook, a braider, a community woman, and a true Durham presence.

Above all, Robbie was a loyal wife, sharing over 50 years of love and partnership with her husband, and a devoted mother whose care and dedication shaped her family’s lives in lasting ways.

Those who knew Robbie will remember her strength, loyalty, creativity, and unmistakable spirit. Her life was filled with quiet acts of care, skill, and service, and her memory will remain woven into the lives of the family, friends, neighbors, and community members who loved her.

Robbie’s passing is a profound loss, but her legacy lives on in the people she fed, the beauty she created, the family she loved, and the Durham history she helped carry forward. She will be remembered with deep love, gratitude, and respect.

SERVICES ENTRUSTED TO PEAKS & WATERS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CARE.