Don passed away early Sunday, June 28, 2015 in Lodi, CA at the age of 85.He was born March 5, 1930 in Kansas City, KS to Harold and Helen Bradbury.
Don graduated from Leavenworth (KS) High School in 1948. He went on to graduate from the US Military Academy at West Point, NY in 1954. After a highly successful active-duty career in the Army that included assignments in Germany and Vietnam, he retired in 1980 at the Presidio of San Francisco as a Military Intelligence Colonel.
Among many strong values instilled in Don by his parents and various mentors, he worked hard to make a good home for his family. When asked recently what his greatest achievement in his life was, he responded, “My children.” Regarding the type of person he’d like to be remembered as, he said, “[I] tried to serve God, Country and Family as a loyal, obedient, loving, conservative figure.”
Don was a great leader of soldiers from small to very large Army units. He had a commanding presence that inspired anyone he met to be a better person. He once was introduced by a general officer as “unflappable.”
His nature was selfless and unassuming, and he had the highest integrity and moral values. Don truly lived the following extract from the West Point Cadet Prayer: "…Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be one…”
After his passing, one of Don’s nephews wrote in a Facebook posting, “He was an incredible person. Quiet, but bold. Intimidating, yet tender. When he spoke, you listened. Not out of fear, but because everything he said seemed profound and you did not want to miss it... He was a fearless leader and seemed to master anything he ever attempted.”
Loved and admired by everyone who knew him, Don had a remarkable ability to make people feel at ease and appreciated. His incredibly firm handshakes and amazing bear hugs will be greatly missed.
Preceded in death by his parents and youngest sister Marilyn, Don is survived by his wife of 61 years Alexandra (Sandra) Parmly Bradbury; children J. Michael Bradbury (Maria), Anna Van Gelder (Mark), and Kirsten Mattos (Ray); grandchildren Lauren Ouellette, Colin Bradbury, Corinne Mattos, Valerie Van Gelder, Brandon Van Gelder, and Alec Mattos; sister Ruth Lindsay; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, Don's family would prefer that a donation be made in his memory to one or both of the following non-profit organizations’ efforts to best serve their communities (by check only via regular mail):
- O’Connor Woods, Attention: Resident Assistance Fund, 3400 Wagner Heights Road, Stockton CA 95209 (more info is available at http://www.oconnorwoods.org/about/giving/ )
- St Francis of Assisi Anglican Church, 1625 North Lincoln Street, Stockton, CA, 95204 (more info is available at http://stocktonanglican.org/index.php/about-us/)
Please add your condolences in the comments section below.
VISITATION No visitation will be held
SERVICES A memorial service followed by a reception to celebrate Don’s life will be held Sunday, July 5, 2015 starting at 1:00 PM in the O’Connor Woods Chapel. Directions are on O’Connor Woods’ Web site.
