Carol McCahan ’58 Bradford

On Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2022, Carol M. Bradford, 86, departed this Earth. Carol was born April 16, 1936, in Poughkeepsie, NY, to the late Chester E. and Edith May (VanNess) McCahan. She graduated from Red Hook Central High School in 1954, attended Plattsburgh State University from 1954-1955 and graduated from Hope College in Holland, Mich. in 1958. On June 27, 1959, she married Robert L. Bradford of Burlington, NJ. This marriage brought forth two sons, Geoffrey E. Bradford, MD (Kathryn Moffett, MD) and Richard A. Bradford (Kristin (Holmes) Bradford, RN); and two grandsons, Benjamin and Ian. Carol is also survived by her sister-in-law, Elsa (Vernachio) Bradford and her children, David Bradford and Lynda (Bradford) Rivera with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, who died on Christmas Day 2020; and her brother-in-law, James Bradford. In married life, Carol and Robert spent their early years in New Haven, Connecticut and Durham, N.H. before moving to Selinsgrove, Pa. in 1963, where Robert taught political science at Susquehanna University until his retirement in 1993. They were members at Sharon Lutheran Church for almost 60 years. Carol was a loving mother, a remedial reading and substitute teacher in the Selinsgrove School District and a tireless community volunteer. Along with Robert, her efforts included work with the Upper Susquehanna Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and its service to the Lutheran Church in Liberia, helping to build and supply churches, schools, and hospitals in that African country. Throughout their lives Carol and Robert enjoyed traveling the world both together and with their sons, including extended periods of living abroad during sabbatical leaves from SU. Shortly prior to her passing she had moved to Morgantown, W.Va., to be with her son Geoffrey and his wife. Carol has chosen to donate her remains to the West Virginia University School of Medicine for medical science and education and will ultimately be laid to rest with Robert in her childhood home of Upper Red Hook, NY. The family would like to extend a special thank you to Carol’s many friends, to the congregation of Sharon LC and to the staff at Nottingham Village, Northumberland for their support over many years, as well as to the staff of Harmony Senior Living in Morgantown, and to Amedysis Hospice Care who gave her loving care in her final weeks.