David Gail Bradford, 71, of Dinwiddie, Virginia, passed away Wednesday, October 11, 2023.
David was born on July 20, 1952, in Portsmouth, Ohio, a son of Margaret Rose Linn and Herbert Calvin Bradford.
He was one of four children raised on a farm at Vanceburg.
Margaret and Herbert instilled a strong work ethic, a keen acumen for fixing and building useful things, and a desire to always lend a helping hand. He loved tinkering from childhood.
David is survived by Grace, his wife of 22 years; son, Andrew Bradford and wife, Marijn and children, Reagan, Maaike, Frederik, and Elise; son, Christopher; Matthew and wife, Amanda and children, Nolan, Emma, and Layla; brothers, William and wife, Betty and children, Lisa and Michael, and Donald and wife Pam, and children, Melissa and Don Jr.; and dear sister, Alta, and son, Sean.
A 1972 graduate of Lewis County High School, he went on to honorably serve in the US Air Force and Air National Guard, and then worked at the Blue Grass Army Depot. He completed a BA, Business Administration at the University of Texas at El Paso. David had a fulfilling career with the U.S. Defense Commissary Agency and retired in 2007. He worked at and managed commissaries in Germany, Europe, and the United States and his final assignment was at Ft. Lee, Virginia. He was proud of his work in modernizing the commissaries with POS (point of sales) systems and scanners.
In retirement, David and his wife Grace enjoyed their country life, raising goats, chickens, and most recently cattle. He loved animals and will be missed by his dogs Sweetie and Buddy, two of the dogs that he rescued through the years, along with many cats. Sweetie was his registered therapy dog, and he took her to the Dinwiddie Health and Rehab Center to visit patients. David was a firm believer in always staying busy with various projects. David’s amiable nature, readiness to help, and his talent as a great listener and problem solver made him a cherished and loyal friend to many. David was a long-standing member of the Central Baptist Church where he served as a deacon, taught Sunday school, and attended to building and grounds maintenance.
Celebration of Life to be at Central Baptist Church, 6405 Courthouse Road, Church Road, Virginia, 23833, Thursday, November 16, 2023, 1:00 p.m.
