Mary Bradford

Mary Pat Bradford, 74, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2018. Our beautiful and gracious wife, mother and grandmother went to the angels to be reunited with her mother, father, brother, David and sister, Kelly. She was born October 14, 1943, in Wichita, Kansas, to Dr. Mack A. Carter and Elise N. Carter and grew up in that city. She attended Kansas State University, leaving her senior year to marry then Lieutenant Bradford and begin her world travels. Her early life in the Midwest and those years of married fun, travel and adventure instilled a character of gentility, self-reliance and determination, which made her stand out as a lovely and charming wife, mother, grandmother, homemaker, Officers' Wives Club Officer and President and as a bank officer during her 12 out-of-the home working years with SunTrust Bank at Fort Lee. She married her husband, Lieutenant Colonel James C. Bradford Jr. (U.S. Army Retired) one year after his graduation from The Citadel in 1963. She accompanied him all over the world for 24 years as a loyal "Army Wife" during two combat tours and assignments at overseas locations as well as within the Continental United States. She was an avid reader of all forms of literature and was the author of two cookbooks. She derived great joy from her children and grandchildren and delighted in their play and achievements in sports and scholastics and savored those quiet moments when she read to them when they were little ones. She had an amazing sense of humor and loved to laugh. In sum, she was an amazing person who looked 20 years younger than her age; always beautiful whether in a ball gown or bathing suit and, put simply, was the personification of the words beauty, grace and poise - a true Lady. She is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, Lieutenant Colonel James C. Bradford Jr. (U.S. Army Retired); three devoted sons, Registered Nurse James C. Bradford III of Phoenix, Arizona, Virginia State Police Sergeant Jeffrey C. Bradford; and grandchildren, Jacob Wade Bradford, Keri Morgan Bradford and Cade Parker Bradford of Colonial Heights, Virginia and Colonel Kenneth C. Bradford (U.S. Army), his wife, Janelle and grandchildren, Jillian Lee Bradford and Katherine Lee Bradford and Benjamin James Bradford of Fort Irwin, California. She is also survived by her brother, Earl Carter and his family of Augusta, Kansas. Finally, she will be missed by "The Girls" - they know who they are - who were her close friends and confidants. A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to your favorite charity.

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Memorial Service will be held at a later date.