Jim Quinton Bradford's Obituary
Jim Quinton Bradford was born in Wichita Falls, TX on January 15, 1943 and died peacefully at 1:01 a.m. on December 23, 2019 after suffering for years with congestive heart failure. Jim grew up in Kilgore TX the son of educators, Sarah Ollivia Lilly and Q L Bradford. He graduated from Kilgore College, UT Arlington (Arlington State College) and earned a master’s degree from Stephen F. Austin. He was a huge proponent of education, a warrior, mentor, songwriter, poet, gourmet chef, avid golfer, painter and traveler. He was a strong believer, a godly man, and expressed his love of Christ through his love and devotion to his wife, his children and his grandchildren. His greatest quality was his resilience, his work ethic and his belief that you never stop the fight. He was grateful to be lovingly cared for by brilliant doctors and nurses especially Dr. Bruce Bowers and Toby Speight at Medical City Dallas.
Upon graduation, he became a college professor before entering the publishing industry. At the time, he was the youngest officer ever hired at Scott Foresman in Chicago. Wanting to return to Texas, he bought and sold several printing businesses specializing in vanity printing for large college textbook companies such as Harcourt Brace. He helped a friend start Burlington Northern International and later became president. Always involved in community affairs, he has been president of several homeowners’ associations and president of his son’s athletic booster club. He was a leader and decision maker.
An entrepreneur at heart, he has owned a restaurant, magazine, specialty landscape business to name a few. His true hobby was designing and building second homes. His final happy place was Ruidoso, New Mexico where his ashes will be spread.
Jim is survived by his wife of 40 years, Brenda McGinnis Bradford. After they married, they raised their three children as the perfect blended family - daughter Julia May and husband Cary, son Jeff Bradford and wife Tricia, son Brandon Bean and wife Amy. But the true spark in his eye was created by nine grandchildren, Jordan May, Jackson Bradford, Alex Bradford, Cooper May, John Bradford, Sam Bradford, Max Bean, Riggs Bean, and Henry Bean. He loved his family above all else. He also adored his sister Cindy, brother Kenneth, sister-in-law Brenda McGinnis, two nieces Alison and Taylor and three nephews Clayton, Andrew and Josh and many cousins.
We are heartbroken to lose the leader of our family but know he lived a life full of passion and adventure and leaves a legacy of resilience, sacrifice and love.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Jim Bradford to HumanCoalition.org (https://give.humancoalition.org/hc-stripe/in-honor-of-jim-bradford) or to the Genesis Women's Shelter at https://www.genesisshelter.org/donate/
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