Thomas C. "Tom" Bradford's Obituary
Tom Bradford was born April 9, 1939 in Broaddus, Texas. He spent his childhood exploring the forests and waterways of East Texas. When his mother died of cancer at the age of 36, Tom quit school to help his father at the garage they owned. That experience led to a strong work ethic and a lifelong love of building, repairing and restoring all things mechanical. He loved his life, but his dream was to fly.
He joined the Army and began a career as a heavy wheeled mechanic, and somehow in the process, met and fell in love with the woman he would share his life with for the next 59 years. The two of them travelled the world with the Army. They were stationed in places as far reaching as Taiwan, Korea, Germany and Alaska.
During the Vietnam War, he was given the opportunity to apply to flight school and gladly jumped at the chance. He was a man in his 30s, the oldest man in his class, competing against men much younger than him. He relished the challenge and graduated in the top ten of students. He had dreamed of flying fixed wing aircraft, but made a career flying helicopters including a tour in Vietnam as a Cobra Attack Helicopter pilot.
Back from the war, he had another dream … to go to Alaska. Always the outdoorsman, he relished the chance to experience the last frontier so in 1976, he packed up the mobile home, put the four-wheel drive truck on a trailer, packed the family and headed to Alaska. He spent three years in the great outdoors, fishing for salmon and halibut in the summers and hunting deer and moose in the winters. He was living his dreams and was very appreciative of the opportunities the Army gave him.
After Alaska, he requested to be stationed at Fort Polk so he could be near his father. He retired from the Army as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in 1981, vowing to kick back and enjoy his retirement.
Two weeks later, he was in Baton Rouge applying for work as an offshore pilot. He was hired by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. and began a second career as a commercial pilot. For the next 20 years he flew offshore, for hospitals as a medevac pilot and for LifeFlight Air Ambulance service.
After his second retirement, he spent his free time building, modifying and riding motorcycles. He was a member of the Valkyrie Motorcycle Rider’s Club and a faithful servant at Cooper Baptist Church. He rode all over the United States on his motorcycle with son Kevin and best friend John Small.
Tom fought every day of his life … to raise respectful children ready to make their place in the world, to provide for his wife and to live a good life to its fullest … but the biggest fight of his life was yet to come.
In 2002 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and mesothelioma in 2008. As with everything else he did, he threw his heart into coming out on top. He fought the cancers for more than a decade, but finally succumbed on Nov. 26, 2018.
Tom was an example for his family to emulate. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Patricia Ann, son T.C. Jr., daughter Alisa Dawn, grandchildren Joshua Matthew and Ryan Patrick and brother Michael Gene.
He is preceded in death by his father Thomas Collier, mother Edith Orena and son Kevin Dale.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. in the Cooper Baptist Church in Leesville. Burial will follow in the Cooper Cemetery under the direction of Labby Memorial Funeral Home of Leesville.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 28th from 5:00-8:00 p.m. in the church.
Words of comfort may be expressed to the family at www.labbymemorial.com
What’s your fondest memory of Thomas?
What’s a lesson you learned from Thomas?
Share a story where Thomas' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Thomas you’ll never forget.
How did Thomas make you smile?