Eli F. Bradley

BRADLEY, Elihu Francis Eli Bradley, 90, loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, and uncle, passed away Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at Yale New Haven Hospital. Eli was predeceased by his beloved wife of 56 years, Eileen Reynolds Bradley, with whom he made his home in West Hartford, CT. After Eileen?s death, and at the age of 82, Eli found love again when he married Ethel ?Toots? Bradley and made a new home with her in Branford, CT. Eli graduated from Yale University, Class of 1939, with a bachelor?s degree of Engineering in Metallurgy. While at Yale, he also pursued what became a life long passion of his, English and Poetry. Eli retired as Chief of Materials Engineering and Research at Pratt and Whitney Aircraft in 1977. During his distinguished career, Eli?s work with titanium and other superalloys used in the development of high performance jet engines led to ten patents in the refractory metals field. Eli was elected President of the American Society for Metals in 1978 and was the recipient of ASM?s 2002 Gold Medal for a lifetime of technical achievement. Eli read and wrote poetry, and used his fantastic memory to recite poetry at will. He was an avid fan of the Yale Bulldog football and hockey teams, and of the New York Mets. He loved his summer bungalow on Cape Cod in West Falmouth, MA and loved watching his children, and later his grandchildren, play sports including football, soccer, and hockey. Eli leaves his second wife, Ethel ?Toots? Bradley of Branford, CT, his daughter Susan Collins and husband Thomas of Pittsfield, MA, his son Kevin Bradley and wife Nancy of Paxton, MA, his son Rohan Bradley and wife Debbie of West Hartford, CT, his son Quentin Bradley and wife Cindy of Burlington, CT. He leaves ten beloved grandchildren: Jennifer Collins Freshman and husband David; Brendan Collins and wife Jan; Cameron Collins; Curran Bradley; Aidan Bradley; Conor Bradley; Trevor Bradley; Colin Bradley; Ian Bradley; and Kelly Eileen Bradley. He leaves a great granddaughter, Hannah Freshman. Eli also leaves his loving sister Lucille Oestreicher of Hamden, CT and many special nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers Edmund and George, and by his first son Elihu ?Chippy? Bradley, who died in 1948, and Toots?s daughter Sandra Diehl in 1995. Eli also leaves Toots?s devoted family: Judith Marks and husband Nate, Joanne Vinci and husband John, James McPherson and wife Susan, and all of Toots?s grandchildren and great grandchildren. Eli?s kind and empathetic, unassuming, gentlemanly manner will be missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing this very special man. Friends may call on Eli?s family on Sunday, January 7, 2007 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Molloy Funeral Home 906 Farmington Ave. West Hartford, CT. Funeral services will be Monday, January 8, 2007, at 9:15 a.m. from the funeral home with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in St. Mark the Evangelist Church, 467 South Quaker Lane, West Hartford. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery. Memorial donations in Eli?s memory may be made to Eli and Eileen Bradley Memorial Library, Genesis Club Inc., 274 Lincoln St., Worcester, MA 01605. Online messages of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

Eli F. Bradley

October 26, 1916 - January 2, 2007