Earl Dean Bradbury, beloved husband of the late Velma Bradbury (nèe Bayes) for 63 years, proud father of sons Mark (Paula), Kevin (Barb), John (Judy), and Bryan (Rachel Anne) Bradbury, and daughters Sarah Wilder (Sam), Cathy Mullins, Lorie Blevins, doting patriarch to dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Brother of George Arnold and Raymond Bradbury and the late Charles, Paul, and Donald Bradbury. Survived by his large family and many friends. Passed away December 20, 2020, at Southern Ohio Medical Center from Covid-19. Age 88. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Memorials may be made to SOMC Hospice Caritas Fund.
Known by so many as Dean, Dad, and Pappaw, Earl Dean Bradbury was born to George and Mattie (nèe White) Bradbury on August 23, 1932. He spent his childhood in southern Ohio, where he graduated from Minford High School and met his lifetime sweetheart, Velma Bayes. They married on September 21, 1952. Together, they had seven children. They lived briefly in Panama (where they were stationed as part of his US Air Force service), then long residencies in Minford (where are he served on the school board in the late 1960s), Kirkersville, and Reynoldsburg, Ohio. He worked at Goodyear Atomic Corporation, Western Electric (Lucent Technologies), and Sears Auto, before retiring in the 1990s to spend time with Velma and travel North America by RV. They crossed the continent visiting family and friends, driving as far as Alaska with a caravan of other retirees. Their most frequent travels were visiting their family, scattered in Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, New Mexico, and many other states.
Dean’s family was his pride and joy, and he never met a stranger he couldn’t charm with stories about his children, grandchildren, and extended family. He loved holding his grandbabies, summer cook-outs and family reunions, bluegrass music, ice cream and pie, building and fixing things in his workshop, cars (especially Hondas), and exploring the American outdoors.
His family will remember him as a loving patriarch, gentle mentor, hard-working role model, proud grandfather, adventurous traveler, and amateur musician. In death, he’s reunited with his lifetime partner Velma, who passed away in 2015 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
