E.J. Bradford

Published 4:36 pm Friday, August 26, 2016

E.J. Bradford, Beloved Husband, Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather, 81, passed from this life on August 10, 2016. E.J. was a member of First Christian Church, Elizabethton, and Community Christian Church, Pearl, Miss. When asked what his favorite Bible verse was, he replied, “The Whole Bible.” He loved God, his Family and his Country. He was proud to have served in the U.S. Navy for four years. He went on to drive a truck for the last 30 years of his working life, retiring in 1988.
He was preceded in death by his father, Charlie Bradford, his mother, Clara Silvers Bradford, his infant sister, Pauline, and his brother and best friend, Perry Bradford.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Donna Smith Bradford, and their six children, Marie (David) McGill, Chattanooga, Valerie Hathaway, Charlie (Debby) Bradford, Gwen (Larry) Crowe and Clara (Kevin) Rominger, Elizabethton, and Rhonda Bradford, Knoxville.
Known as Bumpa by many he left 14 Grandchildren, Benay (Chris) Reilly, Lubbock, Texas, Bradford (Jennifer) McGill, Knoxville, Frannie (Arthur) Broady, Kingsport, Emma Hathaway, Elizabethton, Jeremy Lunceford, Eric Fries, Alex (Lydia) Fries, Texas, Ashley Bradford, Elizabethton, Aaron (Nikki) Bradford, Charleston, S.C., Charlie Crowe, E.J. (Alexandria) Crowe, Platte City, Mo., Eric Crowe, Jacksonville, Fla., Benay Crowe, Tusculum College, and Dustin Rominger, Elizabethton.
Bumpa is also survived by 20 Great-Grandchildren, Dylan Reno, TX State University, Maloree and Greysen Reilly, Lubbock, Texas, Tierney McGill, Knoxville, Owen, Braxton and Addelynn Broady, Kingsport, Lillian and Leena Harrell, Juliet and Scarlet Smith, Anthony Orton and Brynley Bradford, Elizabethton, Nathaniel Lunceford, Virginia Beach, Va., Kaila and Mason Fries, San Antonio, Texas, Skyler and Natalie Crowe, Greeneville, Tenn., and twin girls due to arrive in September, Platte City, Mo.
Also surviving includes brothers, Carlos (Betty) Bradford and Floyd (Frances) Bradford, Elizabethton, David (Sharron) Bradford, Yachats, Ore., and a very special sister-in-law, Sue Bradford, Elizabethton.
Our thanks to the Mountain Home V.A. Medical Center with special thanks to Dr. Kevin McCoy and Dr. Chakradhar Reedy and their staff.
To the staff at Amedisys, Debbie Hinkle, social services, Ed and Chris, chaplains, thank you so much for the comfort and care you gave to not only our Dad but our Mom and the rest of the family, for the prayers and guidance that you provided we are grateful. To his adopted granddaughter and hospice nurse, Emily White, you have been an Angel to him and to us, you provided him with comfort and dignity in his last months, for this we can’t thank you enough. Special recognition to Restore Life USA., thank you for your kind hearts and professionalism in our time of grief. You do a special and important service in our community and the medical community.
A Celebration of Life will be held at First Christian Church, Elizabethton, with a reception in the fellowship hall, on September 3 at 1 p.m. The family requests that in lieu of flowers please bring a story to share and make a donation to First Christian Church, Restore Life USA or Wounded Warrior Project in his memory. Burial at the VA Cemetery will be held at a later date.