Betty Lou Bradford, 88

May 20, 1936 – October 28, 2024

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3.

On Monday, October 28, 2024, Betty Lou Walker Bradford, 88, resident of Benton County, passed away at Ashland Health and Rehab in Benton County surrounded by her family.

Funeral services for Betty’s life will be held at 1 PM Friday, November 1, 2024, in the Heritage Chapel of Ripley Funeral Home with Bro. Doc Shelton officiating.  Visitation will be from 11 AM until service time on Friday, November 1, 2024.  Burial will follow in the Ashland Church of Christ cemetery.

She was born May 20, 1936, in Memphis, TN, to the late Linder Lee Walker and Myrtle Irene Spence and was a 1954 graduate of Treadwell High School in Memphis. Learning to play the piano at a young age, her fondest memory was when she played “Little Bo Peep” at Ole Miss.  After high school, she attended Draughon Business College, and in 1968, she attended Sears Knitting School.  She became the den mother for Boy Scout pack 252, all while working for many years at Wurlitzer Piano Company. Later in life, she settled into the occupation she took most pride in, sitting with the elderly.  Even after becoming a resident of Ashland Health and Rehab, Ms. Betty was found multiple times caring and sitting with other residents as she felt this was still her calling.

A member of Ashland Baptist Church, Ms. Betty loved the Lord, collecting cookbooks, although she hardly ever cooked, knitting, tending to the flowers in her yard and all the animals that she took in.  She enjoyed listening to Elvis and would eat at Leonard’s Bar-B-Que located right down the road from Graceland, but she never had the chance to see it in person.  She watched anything with Tom Selleck and kept her camera close by hoping to be able to snap a quick picture of him.  Ms. Betty will be dearly missed by her family, friends and all that loved her.

Those left to cherish her memory include four grandchildren, Burt Bradford, Dusty Bradford, Chris Bradford and Michelle Burnett (Billy Jr.), four great-grandchildren, Matthew Dyer, Hayden Bradford, Allie Bradford and Taylor Bradford, and one brother, William Chester Watson.

She is preceded in death by her parents, one daughter, Lisa Renee Dyer, two sons, Mark Everret Bradford and Frank Wesley Bradford, and one sister, Peggy Dearman.

Ripley Funeral Home invites you to share memories with the Bradford family.

Please follow the funeral home link above for further information, or to send online condolences or memorial gifts.