Caroline Bradburn Bradford, 97, of Mechanicsville, MD, passed away at her home and joined the love of her life Kenneth H. (Pappy) Bradford Sr, on July 21, 2022.
She was born in her fraternal grandparents’ bedroom in Ridge, MD. Later, she attended St. Michael’s Elementary School and went to Great Mills for 2 years before moving with her family to Washington, DC in 1940. She graduated from Central High School in 1942. On September 16, 1942, she entered nursing school at Garfield Memorial Hospital (Washington Hospital Center). This was her lifelong dream to become a nurse.
In 1943, she joined the US Cadet Nurse Corps, which took her to Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, DC, and Newton D. Baker Army Hospital in Martinsburg, WV. August 1945, the first year Washington, DC gave the National Board Exams she took and passed Cum Laude but couldn’t get her nursing license until she turned 21. At the age of 21, she moved on to her position as RN at Winter General Hospital in Topeka, KS. It was there she met a handsome orderly, the love of her life, and they were married on November 26, 1946, in Washington, DC. They moved to Forestville, MD, and raised two sons and a daughter doing all the family things–PTA, Boys and Girls Club, Scout leader, and involvement at Epiphany Episcopal Church. During these years she worked part-time as a private duty nurse and when her husband retired from the US Marshal Service as a supervisor, she went to work in the office of the family’s general practitioner. She loved traveling with family and driving their 1978 4-door Chevy pick-up truck and pulling a camper to visit the US National Parks. She retired to care for her husband as he survived cancer of the larynx, 7-way bypass surgery, and bladder cancer only to contract Parkinson’s Disease. In 2001, they moved from Forestville, MD to Mechanicsville, MD where they had a handicapped-accessible house built, which was closer to their son. They enjoyed 57 years and 10 months of marriage until his passing in 2005.
She always enjoyed US history and later in life rekindled her passion for genealogy and was an active member of the DAR, USD 1812, DSDI, National Society Colonial Dames of the XVII Century, First Families of Maryland, NS Daughters of Founders and Patriots, The IX. She also was an avid reader and enjoyed her book club at the Northern Senior Center.
Caroline was preceded in death by their son Stephen H. Bradford, her parents Beulah and Howard P. Bradburn Sr.
Survived by their son Kenneth H Bradford, Jr., and his wife Pam and daughter Clara Stark, all of Mechanicsville, MD; Clara’s fiancé, Robert Carroll of Ridge, MD; grandchildren Justin L. Bradford and his wife Laresha, Kelly I. Teclesenbet and her husband Thomas, Caroline E. Bradford and her fiancé John L. Blackwell, Sr.; great-grandchildren Lucas and Rachel Teclesenbet, John Jr, Mikell, and James Blackwell and Karen Bradford. Also surviving are sister Mary Stockstill, brother Howard P. Bradburn II and his wife Sharon, and many other nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great-nephews.
The family will receive friends for Visitation on August 2, 2022, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm and from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm with Prayers at 7:00 pm at Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. at 30195 Three Notch Road, Charlotte Hall, MD 20622. The following day, August 3, 2022, a Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am at Epiphany Episcopal Church 3111 Ritchie Road, Forestville, MD 20747. Interment will follow after the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Hospice of St. Mary’s County PO Box 625 Leonardtown, MD 20650 and/or St Andrew’s Episcopal Church 44078 St. Andrew’s Church Rd. California, MD.20619 and/or Military Women’s Memorial PO Box 420560 Washington, DC. 20042.
Condolences may be made to the family at www.brinsfieldfuneral.com.
All arrangements by Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. in Charlotte Hall, MD.
