Robert Delton Bradford

Robert D. Bradford January 24, 1925 – December 11, 2011 Robert Delton Bradford, 86, of Woodway, passed away Sunday, December 11, 2011, at home surrounded by his loving family. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 14, at First Baptist Church Hewitt, 301 South First St., Hewitt, TX 76643, with the Rev. Roy Marshall officiating. Burial will follow at Whitehall Cemetery. Visitation will be 7:00 – 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 13, at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Bob was born January 24, 1925, in Waco, to Thomas and Miriam Bradford. He attended Waco High School, but left school shortly before graduation in 1943 to join the US Army and fight in the European Theater. He served with the 548th Field Artillery as a corporal in charge of a line crew tasked with setting up forward observation posts to target artillery. He ended WWII with numerous battle stars and combat awards and then served with the occupation forces returning displaced persons to their homeland. Upon his return he met the love of his life, Iris Eldean Kitchens. They were married September 25, 1946, at First Baptist Church Waco. After a brief stint as a Waco Firefighter, he began his career with the US Post Office. During this time his family began to expand. Two of his four sons, Edward and Robert, Jr., were born in 1947 and 1949 respectively. In 1950, following the communist invasion of South Korea, Bob was called back to duty with the US Army to serve as a Sergeant First Class. Following his Korean War service, Bob returned to Waco and his career with the Post Office. During these days, his family continued to grow with the births of his third and fourth sons, Stan and Mark. Following the Korean War, he remained in the Army Reserve, retiring after 32 years of service as a Command Sergeant Major. Bob was quite active in church, civic, and service organizations. He served in a number of leadership roles as a deacon at First Baptist Church Waco and in his later years at First Baptist Church Hewitt. He was the "tail-twister" for many years with the Waco Northwest Lions Club and helped the Kiwanis Club organize a youth softball league. He served on the board of New Hope Ministries to aid recovering drug addicts and helped coordinate their efforts with Habitat for Humanity. His community service also included support for Woodway Beautiful and Carleen Bright Arboretum. He was a member of the Fidelis Masonic Lodge 1127 for 57 years. The last 20 years of his life he served with the Gideon's in a variety of roles. His life was one of service to his God, his family, his nation and his community. Bob is survived by his wife of 66 years, Eldean; sons, Edward and wife, Jan; Robert Jr. and wife, Shirley; Stan and wife, Debbie; and Mark; grandsons, Edward and wife, Julie; Blake and wife, Elizabeth; granddaughters, Ferrah and husband, Travis; Velissa Dean, Lindsey and Brittney; and five great grandchildren. In lieu of floral arrangements, memorial gifts may be directed to the First Baptist Church of Hewitt, 301 South First St., Hewitt, TX 76643. The family invites you to leave a message or memory in our "Memorial Guestbook" at www.WilkirsonHatchBailey.com.