Dr. James "Ellis" Ellison Bradley's Obituary
Dr. James Ellison Bradley
It is with great sadness we announce the sudden death of James Ellison Bradley, Sr., known to everyone as “Ellis,” on March 15, 2021, in Gainesville, Florida. Ellis was born in Greenville, South Carolina on February 7, 1958, to James Butler and Mary Ruth Ellison Bradley. He grew up in Piedmont, South Carolina and from a young age, he loved Jesus, cars, and playing trumpet in the high school band. After graduating from Wren High School in 1976, he attended the University of Georgia earning a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Pharmacy in 1985. He loved his Georgia Bulldogs - especially the Herschel “The Dawg” Walker years! In 2008, he received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Colorado.
He met Sharon Elizabeth McFadden, married in 1983, and made their home in Asheville, North Carolina. In Asheville, their 2 precious children were born, and they built their dream house on a mountaintop. In 1998, his pharmacy career led his family to Florida for a job at the Veterans Affairs Hospital. In 2017, his primary lateral sclerosis (PLS) diagnosis no longer allowed for him to work and in his retirement, he left behind many beloved colleagues, friends, and patients. Ellis dearly loved his family and spending time with his children, Brad & Erin, and their 6 grand-dogs. In retirement, he had lots of time to increase his encyclopedic knowledge of cars, perfect the art of dad jokes for his family, and to cheer on the Georgia Bulldogs. If you ever ran into him in Gainesville, you could count on him always sporting a UGA shirt in a town full of Gators. Ellis never met a stranger and had a great gift of being able to meet and talk to people and he loved having Brad & Erin’s friends over to join family dinner or order a pizza.
He is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Sharon, one son, James Ellison Jr., one daughter, Erin Augusta, his mother, Mary Ruth Ellison Bradley, and his only sister, Shelia Ruth Bradley Butler.
He was preceded in death by his father, James Butler Bradley.
The family would like to extend special thanks to Alachua County EMS and the emergency department at North Florida Regional Medical Center for the care he received this week and to UF Health for taking care of him for over 20 years.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, March 20, 2021, at 11:00 am in the Chapel of Williams-Thomas Funeral Home, with Jon Birkmire officiating, located at 823 NW 143rd Street in Newberry, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation may be made to the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation, an organization that specializes in PLS research, at https://sp-foundation.networkforgood.com/projects/22291-spastic-paraplegia-foundation
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