Corinne “Connie” Hancock Bradford died peacefully Saturday, December 28, 2019, age 94, at her Morningside Residence. She was born to Lewis Henry and Susie Hall Hancock of Bostwick, FL.
Corinne was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James “Brad” Howard Bradford; sisters, Helen Ezelle and Mary Sue Bradshaw; brothers-in-law, Milton Ezell and Floyd Bradshaw; sister-in-law, Vera Bradford Lichty; daughter-in-law, Barbara Garlen Bradford. She is survived by her children, James “Brad” Howard Bradford, Jr. (Susan) Wetumpka, AL; Robert “Bob” Edward Bradford (Debra) Tuscaloosa, AL; Susan Bradford Tanner (Bob) Florence, AL; grandchildren, Jennifer Tanner Bologna (Matthew); Jessica Bradford Odom (Alex); Robert “Beau” Thomas Tanner, II (Linsey); James “Jake” Howard Bradford, III (Olivia); Rachel Bradford Woodward (Jared); Joe Claude Bradford (Laura); Robert Luke Bradford, John Clint Bradford (Shelby); Colton Hamilton Bradford; 11 great-grandchildren with twins due in March.
Corinne “Connie” spent her childhood and teen years in Crescent City and Palatka, FL. She moved with her parents to Marion Junction, AL where her father purchased a cattle and dairy business. In 1943 she attended Montevallo Women’s College, transferring after one year to the University of Alabama where she studied Radio, Speech and Art. There, Connie was active in Bama Radio Network, AL Public Radio earning membership into Alpha Epsilon Rho. After a discussion with her father regarding women in public radio, she received a BA degree in education in 1947. Later she earned her Masters from the University of North Alabama in American History.
Connie met and married Brad, a WWII veteran from Town Creek, AL in 1950. Connie spent 36 years in the classroom and thoroughly enjoyed teaching Speech, English, American History, and Drama. She taught in AL schools: Andalusia, Selma, Wheeler (a three room school house) and one year in Palatka, FL. Her last 30 years were spent at Colbert County High School in Leighton, AL. Connie and Brad became a school centered family as a coach and teacher raising three children who pursued educational degrees.
As a student in college, Connie was active in theatre, radio and student government. In her adult years, she assumed leadership roles in numerous community, civic and educational organizations. She directed countless theater productions at CCHS, churches and community. While her husband was mayor she served as First Lady of Leighton, was active in Civic and Study Club, Friends of the Library in Leighton and Muscle Shoals, and First United Methodist Churches of Leighton and Sheffield.
Connie loved her country and was always a patriot. Her family legacy covers every war from the American Revolution through Vietnam. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, she became involved in the war effort through USO clubs/dances and socializing with service men at Jacksonville Naval Station and later Maxwell Air Force Base. Her home town in Florida was near the Atlantic so she and her cotillion friends took defense instructions on identifying enemy planes from fire towers located in orange groves.
After her retirement, Connie traveled, volunteered, researched genealogy, kept up with national and world events and was an avid Alabama football fan. She had been an active member of P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) sisterhood for 30 years. This international organization focuses on scholarships, loans and grants for deserving women. As a result of her involvement, she was a finalist for the Shoals Women of the Year in 2017.
For the last ten years Connie has lived at Morningside of Sheffield, an assisted living community. The family would like to thank the nurses and staff members for making Morningside a loving home for our mother. We would also like to express our unending gratitude to Good Samaritan Hospice; Bobbie Woods, Sherry Chaney and Wyatt Jackson, for their advanced expert care. We especially wish to thank our angels, Christy Narmore, Evelyn Morrison, Donna Holland, and Loria Gilmoore, for the loving care and devotion they provided over the past 2 ½ years and the many colleagues, former students, and friends who spent endless hours visiting with our mother.
Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
Visitation will be at Colbert Memorial on Friday, January 3rd, from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, January 4th visitation will begin at 11 a.m. with the celebration of life at 1 p.m. at Colbert Memorial Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Leighton and Muscle Shoals Public Library, P.E.O. Foundation, or CCHS Education Foundation.
Colbert Memorial Chapel is assisting the family. You may sign the online registry at colbertmemorial.com.
