Frances Bradley

Frances Arlene Reeg was born in Cherokee, Oklahoma, on March 5, 1925. She lived in Carmen, Oklahoma, with her parents, both school teachers. In 1930, Frances moved with her parents to Aline, Oklahoma, where her father became superintendent of schools. These were lean years because of the Depression. She remembers wearing one dress which was worn for one week, washed, and then worn again the next week. It was critical that clothes be changed each evening as soon as a person came home from school or work. She also remembers wearing shoes with holes in the soles and her mother cutting cardboard to place in the bottom of each shoe. Frances started school in 1931 and attended all twelve years in Aline. Her brother, Harvey Bill, was born in 1932. Her best friends during these school years were Thelma (Peggy) Arnold, who later married Max Bradley and became her sister-in-law, and Marjorie Geist. Frances accepted Christ as her personal savior in 1940. In high school she was a member of the tennis team, and during her junior year she and Maurice Vandruff placed 2nd in Alfalfa County mixed doubles. During her senior year she was Alfalfa County Single’s Champion. In 1943, she graduated from Aline High School as valedictorian of her class. After high school, Frances entered Northwestern State College at Alva, Oklahoma, and graduated in 1947 with a teaching degree. During her college years, she roomed with Carol Prentice (Steffen) and Peggy Arnold (Bradley) off campus as the dorms were being used as housing for the air force cadets who were in training during World War II. Her high school sweetheart and fiancé, Keith Bradley, was serving in the navy at this time. After graduating from college, Frances taught one year at Bluff City, Kansas. On July 9, 1948, she married Keith Bradley at her parents’ home. In 1948, she began teaching business classes at Aline High School where her father was still superintendent. In 1950, she resigned and had her first child, Charles David. In January, 1951, she began teaching again to finish the school year for a teacher who was inducted into the army during the Korean conflict. Again she resigned in May, 1951, and had her second son, Paul Michael (Mike). During these years, she and her husband lived on a farm raising cattle, chickens, hogs, and what crops they could on sandy land. Ironically, they called this farm the Weed place, mainly because the previous owner’s last name was Weed. In 1956, Frances began teaching part-time at Aline High School. In the summertime, they traveled to Idaho to visit Max and Peggy Bradley. While there, Keith worked during harvest. They quickly realized they could make more money working one summer of harvest in Idaho than they could a whole year working their small farm in Oklahoma on the “Weed” farm. In 1957, she moved to Idaho with her husband and sons and had her third child, Cathy Jane. In 1958, Frances began teaching English at Winchester High School in Winchester, Idaho, while her husband worked at the saw mill. In 1962, the Winchester, Craigmont, and Reubens junior high and high schools consolidated, and Frances began teaching English at Craigmont Junior High in Craigmont, Idaho. In 1964, Frances resigned from teaching briefly until Winchester Elementary School expressed a need for a second grade teacher. Frances answered the call with the understanding that she would complete requirements for elementary certification. In 1965, she became head teacher and acting principal at Winchester Elementary School and taught a one room class of fourth, fifth, and sixth graders while her husband worked for Union Warehouse in Craigmont, Idaho. By attending Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, at night and during the summer, she completed the elementary certification requirements in 1966. In 1967, the elementary schools at Winchester, Craigmont, and Reubens closed and moved to Craigmont. With the move Frances went back to Craigmont to teach junior high math at the school now called Highland Schools. In 1974, she began teaching high school business classes and went back to Lewis-Clark State College to receive vocational certification while her husband worked as maintenance man for the City of Winchester. Students and colleagues throughout her career remember her fondly as a caring teacher with a fun sense of humor. Some students relate that they would not have graduated had it not been for her taking an interest in them and even tutoring some students on her own time. Frances retired from teaching for the last time in 1987. After retiring, she and her husband enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren, and senior citizens friends. They were active in church and also enjoyed camping on the Selway River with family and friends until her husband passed away in 1997. Frances kept active in senior citizens and church activities. Some of her hobbies included sewing, knitting, cross-stitch, plastic canvas, quilting, and reading. She loved to sit out on her back deck in Idaho and watch the hummingbirds feed from her feeders that she refilled daily with homemade sugar water. She and her husband always had a dog around, from Tag (from her childhood), Spot (a Cocker Spaniel), Cindy (a Pomeranian-Chihuahua mix), Barney (a Pomeranian/Poodle mix) to Okie (a Sheltie mix). Frances enjoyed her grandchildren’s dogs, too, (Pansie, a dachshund), Sammy (a Dalmatian/Cocker Spaniel mix) and Veronica (a Shih Tzu). They also had various cats, but she was always partial to dogs. In 2002, she moved to Kearney, Nebraska, to be near her daughter, son-in-law, and their two children. She was involved in Kearney Senior Citizens and is a member of Countryside Christian Church. She lived with her daughter until October, 2007, at which time she moved to Prairie View Gardens Assisted Living. Frances enjoyed it there, participating in whatever activities they had to offer. She bonded quickly with Phyllis, another resident. The staff enjoyed her politeness and mild manner. In December, 2008, Frances suffered a stroke which affected her vision and cognitive memory. In January, 2009, she moved to Mt. Carmel Nursing Home where she resided until her passing on November 29, 2010. Frances is survived by her sons, Charles Bradley of Winchester, Idaho; Mike and wife Cathy of Craigmont, Idaho; and daughter Cathy and husband Tommy Eshleman of Kearney, NE; Her brother Harvey Bill Reeg residing in Enid, OK.; Her brother-in-law Max and wife Peggy Bradley of Nezperce, ID and sister-in-law Sharon Bradley of Lewiston, ID.; Eight grandchildren along with numerous nephews and nieces. A viewing will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 on Friday, December 3, 2010 with services on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 11:00 AM at Mountain View Funeral Home in Lewiston, Idaho. A dinner will follow the services at CraigMountain Senior Citizen’s Center in Winchester, Idaho. Memorial donations may be made to the Winchester Quick Response Unit, the CraigMountain Senior Citizen Center, or Winchester Community Church.

Frances Bradley

March 5, 1925 - November 29, 2010