Lucille Bradford

Lucille Irvin Bradford passed away in Oklahoma City on December 3, 2013, after a long illness. She was surrounded by the family she so dearly loved and cared for. Lucille would never use her given first name, which she legally changed. She was always Lucille, then Cille, Mommy, Mom, Grandma and finally Great Grandma. Cille was an accomplished cook and seamstress and she loved to shop and travel. In later years, she became an avid golfer, shuttling between OCG&CC and LaQuinta CC, Palm Springs with her favorite mixed-foursome partner, Bill. And boy, could they throw a party.

Lucille was born October 11, 1925, in Prattsville, AR, to Robert Henry and Hazel Hope Irvin. The family settled in nearby Sheridan, AR, where she excelled in beauty, home economics, basketball and tennis, and graduated a YellowJacket in 1943. Lucille’s talents then took her to the University of Arkansas, where she became a lifetime member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. In Fayetteville, she met a young Californian, Bill Bradford, whose big-city charms clouded her judgment and they were married in Sheridan on August 19, 1947, twice. Their marriage lasted 58 years and what a life they had, from poor to rich, California to Oklahoma, backyard cookouts to gala celebrations, world travels, lifelong friends and loving family.

Lucille was preceded in death by her husband, William (Bill) Bradford; younger sister, Betty Murphy; and older brother, Jack Irvin MD. She is survived by her oldest brother, Joe Irvin and his wife Virginia, of Richmond, VA; two children, Anita Holmes and her husband Steve of Oklahoma City, Dr. William Bradford Jr and his wife Sherri of Oklahoma City; seven grandchildren, Jeff Holmes and his wife Alex of Norman, OK, Allison Holmes, Bill Bradford III and his wife Dr. Jennifer Bradford, Kevin Bradford all of Oklahoma City, Robert Bradford and his wife Kira of Durham, NC, Amanda Blackwell and her husband Mark of Yukon, OK, and Laci Lightfoot of Berlin, Germany; three great-grandchildren, Ryder Blackwell, Lydia Blackwell and Jillian Bradford.

A private graveside service was held Wednesday, December 4th, at Resurrection Memorial Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Arthritis Foundation of Oklahoma.