Lee “Tavis” Bradley, 87, Denver, passed away at 11:38 a.m. on Sunday, April 11, 2021, at his residence.
Born February 15, 1934, in Risner, Kentucky, he was the son of Henry and Nona (Ousley) Bradley. On January 28, 1955, in Martin, Kentucky, he was married to Mary Lou Reffitt, and she survives.
Lee worked in many different professions over the years, starting at a young age shoeing horses and later working in the coal mines of Kentucky. He then made his way to Miami County, Indiana, where he worked at the Peru Foundry, and the local oil wells. He retired from the Miami County Highway Department. Lee was an avid mushroom hunter, bee keeper, fisherman, and gardener, raising the best and biggest tomatoes in the county. He was the president of the local Coon Hunters Association in the 1980’s. He enjoyed hunting and was known to take down two deer in one shot…twice! He was a very smart, self-education man who was the advisor to many on his gardening, ice fishing strategies. His words of advice helped many over the years.
Survivors include his wife Mary Lou Bradley, Denver; children, Douglas (Debra) Bradley, Syracuse; Lisa (Ron) Simpson, Flat Gap, Kentucky; Connie Tyler, Peru; Lugina (Joe) Benner, Peru; fourteen grandchildren, Jason and Nicholas Bradley, Aaron and Jeremy Fox, Dalton Bradley, Amanda Hall, Mitch Stewart, Travis Stewart, Bambi Kowalenko, Jessica Monce, Jake Williams, Kayla Friend, Sherese Rizo, and Nick Benner and Taylee Benner; twenty-one great grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one sister, Mimie Howard, Kentucky; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. Also surviving are special friends adopted into the Bradley family, Dwight “Fats” and Laura Burgess, Doyle “Worm” and Melanie Burgess, Wayne H. Houlihan; and Terry and Sherry Burns.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Mike Bradley and Glenn Bradley; one son-in-law, John Tyler, one granddaughter, Kathy Whetsone; five brothers: Mont Bradley, Dennis Bradley, Adam Bradley, Leo Bradley and Cleo Bradley; six sisters: Loretta Hurd, Aggie Click, Sabra Bradley, Renis Baldridge, Biddie Reffitt, and Arvilla Slone.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at McClain Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Peru.
Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home.
McClain Funeral Home, Denver, Indiana, has been entrusted with arrangements.
Condolences may be sent online at www.McClainFH.com.
