W.H. "Bill" Bradley

William H. “Bill” Bradley Sr., age 88, of Gulfport, passed away on November 10, 2021.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Antonette “Ann” Bradley; his parents, Dorothy and George Smith of New Bedford, MA; his brother, Robert (Shirley) Bradley; his sisters, Patricia Smith and Beverly Bradley, and daughter-in-law, Janet Bradley of Gulfport, MS.

He is survived by his children, William “Bill” Bradley Jr. (Pat) of Gulfport, MS, Cheryl Woodward (Ernie) of Long Beach, MS, and Mary Wesche (Richard) of Gulfport, MS; his sister-in-law Ruth (Bud) Mevers of Gulfport, MS; his grandchildren Lisa Bradley Palermo (Lee) of Gulfport, MS, Paul Woodward of Long Beach, MS, Kimberly Woodward of Long Beach, MS, Bradley Wesche (Tiffany) of Millbrook, AL, Ashleigh Aanerud (Tim) of Roeveredo in Porcia, Italy, and Neil Lannin (Denise) of Saucier. He leaves behind eleven adoring great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, and dear friends that he considered family.

Bill retired from the US Navy as Construction Mechanic Chief after 21 years of service, completing tours in Korea, Vietnam, Bay of Pigs, Morocco, Antarctica, and Newfoundland, where he met his wife Ann who was serving in the US Army at the time. He worked as a supervisor of the Construction Equipment Department at the Seabee Base for 23 years, finally retiring in 1995. Shortly thereafter, Bill and Ann found their second home and retirement dream jobs in Florida, where they spent years spreading Disney magic. Bill and Ann worked at several Disney properties over the years, ultimately combining their love for all things Disney and the Atlanta Braves at the Braves Spring Training Complex.

Bill was a proud Joppa Shriner Past Potentate, spending some of the best years of his life with his fellow Shriners and of course, Ann, always the belle of the ball and life of the party. He was a high school baseball and football official for more than 20 years, an avid fisherman and golfer, and a lifelong Rams football fan, regardless of the team’s home port. He was a passionate fan of everything his great grandchildren played and participated in. In return, they were his greatest fans.

Bill's family would like to extend a very special thank you to his caregiver, Emma Corona, for her love and care the past two years. She brightened his days and helped the family through some difficult times, ultimately being considered part of the family. They would also like to thank the staff at Lakeview Nursing Center for taking such good care of him the past few months.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you honor Bill’s life by contributing to Shriners Hospitals for Children at www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.

A visitation for family and friends will be held on Sunday, November 14, at Riemann Family Funeral Home, 11280 Three Rivers Road, Gulfport, from 1:00 PM until 3:00 PM. The Memorial Service will begin at 3:00 PM in the funeral home chapel.  He will be laid to rest beside the love of his life at Biloxi National Cemetery in Biloxi, MS, at 10:00 AM, Monday, November 15.

An online obituary may be viewed and memories shared at www.riemannfamily.com