John H Bradley Sr's Obituary
October 29, 1948 - December 13, 2025
John H. Bradley, Sr., 77, passed away on December 13, 2025, at St. Joseph
Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington. He was born on October 29,
1948, in Ruby Creek, British Columbia, Canada.
When John was two years old, his parents left British Columbia and
settled on Vashon Island in Washington State. As a young man, he
moved to Tacoma to build a life and find work. Around the same time, he
met his wife, Linda. They were approaching their 55th wedding anniversary.
John spent 30 years at Todd’s Shipyard as a boilermaker and rigger. He
was a hardworking family man who took great pride in providing
for those he loved. After retirement, John stayed connected with
many people, who we will call his “work family” from his years at Todd’s Shipyard. He attended as many gatherings as he could to maintain those lifelong friendships.
He was known for his kindness, support, compassion, generosity, and
social nature — and for having an incredible sense of humor.
John was proud of his First Nation heritage as a member of the
Coldwater Band of Indians of British Columbia. He brought his
family to local Puyallup Tribe events to keep the Indigenous spirit.
alive in their lives. Over the years, he returned home to Merritt, BC,
for multiple family trips and had hoped to make one more trip
there.
As a devoted family man, John would help anyone who needed it. He was dependable, deeply loved, and respected by his family, always just a phone call or a hallway away. He remained a big kid at heart, especially during trips to Disneyland, where he loved the rollercoaster thrill rides.
John was approaching 40 years of sobriety and 35 years smoke-free. He credited his strength to God and to the challenging work done in the rooms of AA.
His relationship with God was central to his life. His faith guided him, comforted him, and shaped the way he cared for his family. He believed deeply in a God who gives hope to the hopeless and love to the lonely, and he trusted that heaven awaited those who have faith.
John is survived by his wife, Linda; his daughter, Leah; and his sons, Derrick and Mike; and His sisters Rose, and Mary; and also by his grandchildren Leo, John, Laura, Catherine, Angel, Mareanna, Aiyana, Will, and Russell. He is predeceased by his sons Will Jesse and John Jr, his parents Louis and Carina, and his brother Louis. The family also remembers their beloved cat of over 19 years, Jagwire, who passed in 2023.
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