Philander S. Bradford, 1919-2000

BRADFORD Philander S. Bradford Jr., the retired owner and president of Bradford Travel Service, died peacefully at his home Saturday, in the arms of his wife, Renate, and daughter, Lucinda Bradford Sweeney. The expression, "a kinder gentleman treads not the earth" from The Merchant of Venice, could apply to Phil. His sweet and sunny spirits shone through him. He was quick to laugh and to tell a joke. He thoroughly enjoyed smoking a pipe, collecting netsukes, listening to classical music and operas, cooking Chinese food, playing the piano, swinging a tennis racket, and driving foreign cars. Befitting a world traveler and a former Mid-American president of the American Society of Travel Agents, Phil spoke Spanish, French, and Portuguese fluently, and could converse in several other languages. Phil was born December 26, 1919 in Columbus to Philander S. and Helen Shields Bradford. He attended The Columbus Academy, the University School, and graduated from Peddie School in New Jersey. After high school, he studied at Brown University for three years, then enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served in the Counter Intelligence Corps in Australia, the Philippines, and Japan during World War II. After the war he earned a Bachelor's degree at The Ohio State University. He was the host of a morning radio program on WCOL for several years (his theme song was "On the Sunny Side of the Street"), then joined the Travel Department of City National Bank. From there he went to the Barker Travel Service in 1956, where he became the general manager. He purchased the company in the mid-1960's, and ultimately renamed it Bradford Travel Service. The company had about half a dozen offices in Central Ohio. It was sold to TV Travel in the early 1980's, when he retired. In addition to his wife and daughter, Phil's survivors include his son, Brad of Columbus, his wife, Jana, and her son, Austin; Lucinda's husband, Robert Sweeney, and his daughter, Marissa; three children of Renate, George Walcutt of Raleigh, N.C., his wife, Miqui, his son, Taylor, and her children, Chris, Kati, and Cameron; Steve Walcutt of Columbus, his wife, Amy, and their children, Jessica and Orion; Tanja (Walcutt) Hughes of Columbus, her husband, Steve, and their daughter, Erin; Phil's sister, Constance Bigelow of Naples, Fla.; and former sister-in-law, Mrs. Lee C. Paull of Wheeling, WVa. Phil was predeceased by Elizabeth Bradford, his wife of 40 years. He was a member of the Columbus Club, St. Alban's Church, and the East Broad Street Chowder and Marching Society. He was a former member of St. Stephen's Church, where he sang in the choir, Rocky Fork Hunt and Country Club, SKAL, the Rotary Club of Columbus, and the boards of Huckleberry House and Pro Musica. Contributions may be made to Hospice at Riverside/Grant, 3595 Olentangy River Road, and St. Alban's Church, 333 S. Drexel Ave. SCHOEDINGER MID TOWN CHAPEL, 229 E. State St., is handling the arrangements. Calling hours will be 5:30-8 p.m. Monday, December 11, at the Schoedinger Mid Town Chapel. The funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, December 12, at St. Alban's Church. "There is special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now...The readiness is all...Let be."