WEATHERFORD, Texas - Francis LeRoy Bradham Sr. died Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014.
Born April 11, 1927, in Clarendon County, Roy was a son of the late Marion Horry Bradham and Sally Gardner Bradham. After graduating in 1945 from Edmunds High School in Sumter, he served in the U.S. Army with the 7th Division post-war occupation of Korea til September 1947. He graduated in 1951 from Clemson College.
Roy married his childhood sweetheart, Eleanor Jane Kinney, Aug. 26, 1949, in Sumter, and they celebrated their 65th anniversary on Aug. 26, 2014.
Roy had a career with Pepsi-Cola, serving as general manager of bottling companies in Kingstree, Anderson and Conway. During his career with Pepsi, he served as president of the S.C. Soft Drink Association, president of S.C. Pepsi-Cola Bottlers Association and secretary of Carolina Canners Inc. Roy also served on the Horry County Development Board; was a director of the Conway Chamber of Commerce for several years; and was president of the Chamber of Commerce 1979-80. He served on the board of directors for the Horry County Shelter Home; was chairman of fundraising for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; served on the County Transportation Committee; and served on the Horry County Assessment Appeals Board. Roy was honored as field and herald man of the year in Conway in 1982.
Actively involved in Clemson's IPTAY program, Roy was named Horry County Clemson Club Tiger of the Year. Roy was an avid golfer and was a board member and past president of the Conway Golf Club. He was a faithful member of First Baptist Church, Conway, and the Anglers Sunday School Class. He served as a deacon, chairman of deacons, and chairman of finance committee.
After moving to Texas in 2010, Roy was a member of Birchman Baptist Church in Fort Worth.
Besides his parents, Francis LeRoy Bradham Sr. was preceded in death by his brothers, Marion and Raymond Bradham; a sister, Sara Bradham Fazio; and a granddaughter, Morgan Bradham.
Survivors beside his wife include two daughters, Becky Bradham of Duluth, Ga., and Beth Bradham Bowen and her husband, Marcus, of Weatherford; two sons, F.L. Bradham Jr. of Charlottesville, Va., and Dan H. Bradham and his wife, Amy, of Waycross, Ga.; three grandsons, Marcus Bowen, Forrest Bowen and his wife, Jeddy, and Drew Bradham and his wife, Kelly; three granddaughters, Virginia Bowen, Claire Bradham and Grace Bradham; a sister, Betty Rahn of Sumter; two brothers, Gilbert Bradham of Columbia and Julian Bradham and his wife, Leona, of Seneca; two sisters-in-law, Billie Bradham of Evans, Ga., and Carol Bradham of Ridgeland; and a brother-in-law, Martin Fazio of Lake Worth, Fla.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Francis LeRoy Bradham Sr. will be held 11 a.m. Oct. 17 at Birchman Baptist Church in the Ricker Conference Center in Fort Worth, Texas.
A time of visitation with family and friends in Conway will be held from 2-4 p.m. Dec. 7 at First Baptist Church in Conway.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Birchman Baptist Church Building Fund or Alpha-Omega Hospice, both in Fort Worth.
White's Funeral Home of Weatherford is in charge of arrangements.
