Richard Bradley

RICHARD HENRY BRADLEY, SR. Richard Henry Bradley, Sr., 87, of Linn Creek, Missouri passed away on Sunday, October 21, 2012 at his home. He was born November 15, 1924 in Camden County, Missouri to Elsworth and Emma Luvenia (Brown) Bradley on the farm of his grandparents, Henry Clay and Margaret Melvina (Thomas) Bradley. Richard attended grades 1-8 at the rural Brown School and graduated from Stoutland High School in 1942. In 1943-1945 he served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War ll in the 466th Bombardment Group, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force, stationed in Attlebridge, England. On the crew of a B24 bomber flying runs over Germany, he served as flight engineer, waist gunner, armorer, and was a Staff Sergeant at the time of his discharge after the war ended. In 1946, Richard married Mary Alice (Shipman) Lucas, a young widow whose first husband was killed during World War II. She brought a young son Martin Luther "Ted" Lucas III, to the marriage, and she and Richard had a son, Richard Henry Bradley, Jr., in 1954. Richard lived and worked in the Kansas City area for many years before returning to his roots and buying additional farmland in Camden County where he and Mary lived, farmed, and raised cattle for much of their fifty-three years together. Mary Bradley preceded Richard in death in 1999. He also was preceded in death by two brothers, David Elsworth Bradley and Norman Kenneth Bradley and his parents Elsworth and Emma Bradley. He is survived by his second wife, Joan Bradley, whom he married in 2003 in Arlington, Texas. Also surviving Richard are his son, Rick Bradley and wife Ellen, of Camdenton, Missouri; step-son, Ted Lucas and wife Brenda of Independence, Missouri; grandchildren, Richard Henry Bradley, III and Daniel Charles Bradley of Gladstone, Missouri; step-granddaughter, Rhonda Jo Lucas of Independence, Missouri; step-grandson, Scott Lucas of Independence, Missouri and Scott's children and grandchildren. Surviving siblings are Virginia Ruth Bookhout of Springfield, Missouri, Margaret Paulina Murrell of Lebanon, Missouri and Lawrence Duane Bradley and wife Wilma of Independence, Missouri; sister-in-law Georgiana Bradley of Stoutland, Missouri and many nephews and nieces. Richard professed faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized in the Freedom Church of Christ where he attended for many years. He was also a member of Raytown Masonic Lodge 391. He was an avid history buff and family researcher whose roots in Camden County go back to 1838 when the first member of his mother's Brown family settled here and his great grandfather, Lewis Sinclair Brown, followed a few years later. The Bradley family homesteaded in Camden County in 1874. From his youth Richard loved to farm, hunt and fish and spent many happy years enjoying these activities with numerous family and friends on his farm. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, October 24, 2012 in Freedom Church of Christ under the direction of Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Camdenton. Burial with military honors will follow in Freedom Cemetery, Montreal, Missouri. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Tuesday in the funeral home. The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to Freedom Cemetery Fund, 4294 S. State Hwy 7, Montreal, Missouri 65591 or to Brown Cemetery Fund, 238 Rush Lane, Linn Creek, Missouri 65052. Donations may also be left at the funeral home. Allee-Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Camdenton is assisting the family with arrangements.