- Date Of Birth: July 12, 1919
- Date Of Death: March 4, 2010
- State: Idaho
Woodrow W. (Brad) Bradford, 90, of Wilder died Thursday, March 4, 2010 at home of natural causes.
Woodrow Wilson Bradford was born July 12, 1919 in Whitesburg, Kentucky as the oldest of eight children born to George and Maudie Bradford. The family later moved to Clear Springs, Missouri where Brad graduated from Willow Springs High School. After school, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and then joined the Army Air Corps where he served during World War II.
He served with the 30th Bombardment Group, 7th Air Force in the Pacific Theatre. He trained as an aerial gunner and participated in anti-submarine duties after Pearl Harbor along the California coast with the 392nd Bomb Squadron. During this time, he was involved in a motorcycle accident and was subsequently relieved of flight status. He re-trained as a gun sight/bomb sight mechanic and shipped out with his unit to Saipan and Iwo Jima. During this time, he was seconded to a fighter squadron and helped to maintain and re-load the P-51’s escorting the bombers to Japan. At the end of the war, his unit was returned to March Field, California where they were disbanded. Brad was honorably discharged from active duty with the rank of Sergeant.
In 1945, he married Lorraine Putman and they had a daughter, Janice Bradford. They later divorced. Brad married Alonia Marie Ladd on July 12, 1950 and they had a son, Robert (Mike) Bradford and two children from Marie’s previous marriage, David Kruse and Kay Kruse Menold. Brad and Marie resided in San Bernardino, CA until 1974 when they moved to Wilder, ID.
Brad opened Brad’s Custom Frames and taught art lessons in the Treasure Valley. One of his proudest accomplishments was being invited to be a Featured Artist at the Northeastern Nevada Museum, in Elko, NV.
Brad was an avid outdoorsman and loved to fish and hunt. He taught his children and grandchildren the same. He always let the granddaughters catch more fish than he did and he graciously cleaned the catch as well. Some of the fondest memories were made out on the water with families and friends.
Surviving are his children, Mike (Joanne) Bradford of Nampa, David Kruse, Kay (John) Menold, and Bob Bean all of California. Granddaughters Madeleine (Tony) Hall of Marsing, Tessa Bradford of Nampa, Chandler and Shelby Kruse, Darla (Derrick) McVay, Kim (Abraham) Elkhatib, Bobbi (Matthew) James, and Jenni Wiesen all of California, Beth (Craig) Reidhead of Arizona. Siblings, Emmett (Beth) Bradford, Elmer (Yvonne) Bradford, Mae Linderer; several great grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
His wife, Marie Bradford, siblings Estell Bradford, Ellen Rakestraw, Ella Sherrill, Gene Bradford, a daughter Janice Bean, and an infant grandson, preceded him in death.
