Karen Bradley

Karen Bradley passed away on July 2, 2025, in Surprise, Arizona, at the age of 76.

Born on August 10, 1948, in Arkansas, Karen was the youngest of nine children born to Lewis and Ruby Hill. Her early years were spent in a hardworking family known for their time in the fields and their weekends filled with laughter, shared meals, and stories. Many aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family members played a meaningful role in her upbringing. Of her eight siblings, she is survived by one sister, Evelyn. Karen also leaves behind a large and beloved extended family, including cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

Karen later moved to California, where she came of age as a teenager and young adult. There, she met her first husband, Rick, and together they had three children-Tina, Rick, and Bob. She was a proud grandmother to six beautiful granddaughters. Later in life, she married Bill, with whom she shared a love for puzzles, travel, and even the occasional adventure in gold panning.

Karen spent much of her working life in customer service roles—as a receptionist, bookkeeper, sales associate, and manager—bringing her kindness, dependability, and strong work ethic to everything she did.

She enjoyed road trips, especially those taken in the fall to watch the leaves change—an annual highlight she eagerly anticipated. Decorating for the holidays brought her great joy, and she was always on the lookout for just one more decoration to make the season extra special.

Karen loved to read, particularly finding humor and comfort in the works of Erma Bombeck. She cherished classic films and was a devoted fan of Hallmark movies—especially the Christmas ones. Laughter was a big part of her life, and The Golden Girls never failed to lift her spirits.

In quieter moments, Karen enjoyed working on word puzzles and taking an occasional trip to the casino to try her luck at the slot machines—something she always approached with a smile and a bit of hopeful excitement.

During the final year and a half of her life, she was lovingly cared for by two dedicated caregivers, Sam and Clarie. Karen’s family is deeply grateful for the compassion, attention, and kindness they showed throughout that time.

A celebration of Karen’s life will be held at a later date. In accordance with her wishes, her ashes will be scattered in a place that was meaningful to her during a private family gathering.