HELEN IRENE DEMPSEY BRADFORD, 78,
went to be with her Lord and Savior on April 6,
2007, with burial at Mt. Zion Cemetery near
Ranger, TX.
Helen was born in Ranger on June 4, 1928 to
Caudy Neal & Martha Jane Adams Dempsey. She
attended Ranger High School in the Class of 1945
at Ranger. She was married to Charles Donald
Bradford, her childhood sweetheart, in June of
1946 at Ranger. Helen lived all her life in the
place where she was born. She & Don trained
horses for Dr. Kuykendall until his death. She
was Miss Rodeo Ranger in 1949 and represented the
Ranger Chamber of Commerce at many rodeos & parades.
She would be seen with Don at many rodeos where
they would be overseeing the secretarial & timing
or helping their grandchildren to compete. She
was the owner of Bradford Realty & Bradford Book-
keeping & Tax Service and the office manager for
Staff Water Supply Corporation for many years.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in Ranger.
She is preceded in death by her parents and one
brother, Wesley Dempsey (RHS-1940).
She is survived by her loving husband of 60 years
Don; a daughter, Jane Ann Bradford (RHS-1968) &
husband Charles of Caddo; a son, Cody Bradford
(RHS-1984) & wife Brenda of Ranger. She dearly
loved her grandchildren, Shawn Mitchell of
Weatherford, TX, Silas Mitchell of Olden, Chelsey
& Chauncy Bradford of Ranger, & four great-grand-
children and many, many friends. Her first cousin,
Hazel Louise Dempsey Sharpe of Athens was also in the
RHS Class of 1945.
HUSBAND: CHARLES DONALD "DON" BRADFORD,
94, was called to his heavenly home on June 30,
2022. He was a lifelong resident of the LaCasa
Community and had resided at the Ranger Care
Center for the past five years. Burial was at
Mt. Zion Cemetery near Ranger.
Don was born at Frankell, TX to B.T. and Anna
Lou Bradford on Jan. 10, 1928. He married the
prettiest girl he had ever seen, Helen Dempsey
(RHS-1945) in June of 1946. You very rarely saw
one without the other as they ranched, rodeoed,
and showed horses. You could also find them in
the field where they baled and hauled many a
bale of hay for the public. Don also announced
many rodeos while Helen kept the books.
Don was a very religious man. He taught Sunday
School and Training Union at First, Second, and
Eastside Baptist Churches where he was also a
deacon. He was a member of First Baptist Church
in Ranger. He was also a Gideon and did several
speaking engagements for the Gideons.
He was later the operator for Staff Water Supply
Corporation and helped Helen with her Real Estate
and Bookkeeping and Tax Service. He and Helen
hauled and followed their children and grand-
children to many rodeos, sports, & track meets.
Don is preceded in death by his loving wife Helen,
his parents, and one brother and two sisters.
He is survived by a daughter Jane Ann Bradford
Mitchell (RHS-1968) and husband Charles of Caddo,
a son Cody Bradford and wife Brenda (RHS-1984)
of the LaCasa Community, three grandsons, Shawn
Mitchell and wife Terra of Ranger, Silas Mitchell
and wife Halee of Caddo, Chauncy Bradford & wife
Jessica of Roswell, New Mexico, & a granddaughter
Chelsey McClymond & husband Luke of Breckenridge.
He had eight grandchildren Cord & Camry Mitchell,
Sylee Mitchell, Cantyn, Carder, Colemyn, & Cuade
McClymond, and Chisum Bradford. Several nieces
and nephews.