JOE BRADLEY
Beloved Joe Bradley was born on April 6, 1944, in Sumter, the second of six children to Carrie Lou Mack and Richard Bradley.
Preceded in death by his father and his older brother, Richard "Bubba," Joe quickly became the patriarch of his family.
Joe was educated in the Sumter County Public School system, where he also met the love of his life, Pauline McFadden Bradley. Seeking work and a chance to make a better life for his future bride, Joe left Sumter and headed north with his best friend and brother, Cleveland "Peter Rabbit" Croskey. Joe would return to Sumter to wed his beautiful bride on Dec. 25, 1962, and together they moved their family to Brooklyn, New York. Always looking to provide greater opportunities for his family, Joe moved them from the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn to the suburbs of Hempstead, Long Island, in the 1970s. He and Pauline left Brooklyn with a reputation of having an "open home" for family and friends, always helping them "get on their feet."
Joe was an employee of New York University (NYU) Medical Center for 43 years, where he established relationships with everyone he encountered including surgeons and other staff members of the hospital. His warm spirit, welcoming heart, jolly laugh and willingness to feed everyone resulted in lifelong friends and infinite stories and memories.
After 43 years, he decided to retire to do "whatever he wanted to do," which included his passion for sailing and fishing with his longtime friends in the Casters Fish and Hunt Club. And despite his grumbles and complaints of being retired, if you wanted a good meal, all you had to do was ask. After retiring, he even took on a "new job" of volunteering to cook at the Faith Baptist Church, Hempstead, restaurant, where he made new friends and a church family.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Richard "Bubba," Willie and Harry Lee; and his best friend/brother, Cleveland "Peter Rabbit" Croskey.
Joe is survived by his bride, Pauline McFadden Bradley; sons, Joel Kodar (Cecelia) and Joe Nathan "PeeWee" (Janine); daughters, Ethel, Kimberly and Kenya; brother, James "Clayton" (Johnnie Mae); sister, Richard Dean Brunson; bonus brothers, Leroy McFadden, Calvin McFadden and Howard (Rudina) McFadden; bonus sister, Henrietta Moss; 13 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends too abundant to name.
Public viewing will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. today at Job's Mortuary.
Mr. Bradley will be placed in the church at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday for viewing until the hour of service.
Funeral services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday at Salem Chapel & Heritage Center, 101 S. Salem Ave., Sumter, SC 29150. Interment will follow at Mulberry Baptist Church Cemetery.
The family will receive friends at the home, 2575 Foxcroft Circle, Sumter, SC 29150.
Job's Mortuary Inc., 312 S. Main St., Sumter, is in charge of arrangements.
Online memorials may be sent to the family at jobsmortuary@sc.rr.com or visit us on the web at www.jobsmortuary.net.