Alan Taylor Bradford

Alan Bradford, 89, of Old Lyme, CT, passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones, on May 3, 2026. Driven by the boundless curiosity that made him a great teacher, Alan lived a life that was a masterclass in both personal and professional fulfillment.

Alan was born to Zachary and Lacy Lee Bradford in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he was raised alongside his sister Sarah. He earned his B.A. from Duke University and Ph.D from Harvard University. He spent the entirety of his career (1964-2008) as an English Professor at Connecticut College, where he taught courses that included Advanced Shakespeare, Metaphysical Poetry, and Renaissance Drama. He also taught a popular interdisciplinary course, “The English Country House: Literature, Architecture, and Social History” that once even combined course reading with a field trip to spectacular UK locations. Alan served multiple terms as Chair of the English Department, but his myriad interests weren't limited to a single discipline, and he also served the college as Associate Director of their Center for International Studies and the Liberal Arts, and Chair of the Educational Planning Committee. He was the author of numerous articles on subjects that reflected his diverse enthusiasms, ranging from Shakespeare to thermodynamics, and edited Thomas Traherne: Selected Poems and Prose for Penguin Classics. Always an eager early adopter, he was one of the first academics to make use of OCR scanning technology for that book.

In addition to professional achievements, Alan’s time at Connecticut College was marked by a profound personal milestone, as it was there that he met his wife, Mary Bergin. Alan and Mary married in 1973 and built their life and family together in Old Lyme, welcoming their son Matthew in 1977 and daughter Caroline in 1981. Alan was always a loving husband and a devoted father. He constructed elaborate Halloween costumes and read aloud to the family, passing along his own love of works as disparate as The Odyssey, Sherlock Holmes, and The Chronicles of Narnia to his children. When Matthew and Caroline reached adulthood, Alan and Mary would travel frequently to visit them. He would help with moves and assemble furniture, accompany them to buy their first cars, and simply spend time with them wherever they were. He called and emailed often, always excited to hear about life updates, big or small. At home, he and Mary continued to engage in their many shared interests, including theater, concerts, movies, reading together, church activities, walking and exploring, visiting museums, seeing family and friends, and watching their beloved Boston Red Sox and UConn Women’s basketball.

Alan was a lifelong animal lover, and dearly loved all the family pets over the years, including four whippets and a piebald cat. He walked daily into the last year of his life, and was known in the neighborhood for always carrying dog treats. He never passed a dog without smiling or saying hello. Even after a significant health setback in the winter of 2025, he prioritized getting outside and worked tremendously hard to continue his walking with mobility aids. His motivation and tenacity were an inspiration to everyone around him.

Alan is survived by his loving wife, Mary; son Matthew and wife Isabel of Los Angeles, CA; daughter Caroline and husband Allen Ramirez of Martha’s Vineyard, MA; step-grandchildren Cecilia and Isabelle Ramirez; brother-in-law Sidney Landau; nephew Paul Landau, his wife Emily and their children Zoe and Penelope; niece Amy Landau; his honorary great niece and nephew Anna and Jason O’Shea; extended family on Mary’s side; and his grand-pets Coo and “Little Boy” Ernie. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Sarah Landau.

Alan will be remembered with love and gratitude for his calm and steady nature, his humble brilliance, his unbounded curiosity, his keen sense of humor, and most of all for the way he loved those close to him.

A Memorial Service for Alan will be held on May 30, 2026, at 2pm at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his memory to American Stroke Association, The New London Homeless Hospitality Center or Animal Rescue League of Boston.