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Remembering Dean "Pappaw" Bradbury

February 9, 2021

Remembering Dean "Pappaw" Bradbury

Dean Bradbury, a white male wearing a long sleeve t-shirt and overalls

The Center for Folklore Studies mourns the loss of Dean "Pappaw" Bradbury, a friend of the Ohio Field School program. 

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.
 

Ohio Field Schoolers remember Dean Bradbury

"My interactions with Dean were not long or many, but they were nonetheless memorable. He was quick with a handshake and a warm smile, and I remember most fondly his enthusiasm as we talked about our shared love of bluegrass music." --Sydney Varajon 

“I feel very lucky to have spent a little time with Dean while visiting Barb and Kevin. One of my favorite memories of Dean was hearing about how he helped his wife finish quilts. He told me about the chicken foot stitch, I remember him showing me with two fingers what it looked like on the quilt. A small, but vivid memory of a wonderful man.” --Cristina Benedetti

"It was such a pleasure to reconnect with Dean Bradbury at the OSU Field School event at Shawnee Lodge a few years ago. Growing up in Minford many years ago, I knew him in our community as the father of several of my schoolmates, and as a school board member.  After all the years that had passed, I found him to still have the same lively engagement with community and education. He still reached out with curiosity to learn about others and to extend welcome. I will remember him for this." --Laura Thomas

"Dean was a welcoming face at Hurricane Run Farm while I was conducting fieldwork over the past few years. He delighted in sharing his knowledge of culture and history with the Ohio Field School cohorts, entertaining our questions and telling us stories. His generosity of spirit made so many of us feel comfortable in a new place." --Cassie Rosita Patterson


Photo of Dean participating at the Placemaking in Scioto County, Ohio world cafe event in winter 2017 courtesy of Breanne LeJeunne.