Lester Clifton Bradley

HUDSON FALLS – Lester Clifton Bradley, 78, passed away on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at his home, surrounded by his family. 

Born on April 11, 1943, in Glens Falls, he was the son of the late Lester and Victoria “Susie” (Mullen) Bradley.   

Lester attended St. Mary’s School and was a 1961 graduate of Hudson Falls High School.  After high school, he attended classes at Adirondack Community College. 

On August 21, 1965, Lester married Mary Pike.  They shared 56 years of marriage before her passing on September 6, 2021.

After the passing of his father, Lester’s mother gifted him an International 240 tractor, equipped with a bucket to plow driveways, and there started his love for machinery.  Lester’s mother also purchased a 1957 Chevy, instilling his lifelong appreciation for fancy cars. 

Lester worked selling appliances for Montgomery Ward and then Sears for over 40 years.  During the 1960’s, he started a fruit stand in Hudson Falls, known as Tri-County Fruit.  Until the early 1990’s, Lester, along with his wife, Mary, successfully ran the well-known business, selling various fruits, vegetables and baked goods to the locals.

He loved yearly trips to Maine, with his family, to enjoy lobster dinners.  Lester’s favorite meal was prime rib, with a side of his favorite beverage, orange soda.  Lester was proud of all his sons, accomplishments, living right next door to his sons, he often would look out for the business.  He was always there to greet the customers who were there to purchase topsoil, help them load their trucks and to supervise his children operate the equipment. Lester had a passion for trains, tractors, and bulldozers.  He never missed his favorite train show on Monday and the Antique Road Show on Saturday.  Lester could often be found feeding the chickens and spending time with his longtime faithful companion and dog, Natalie and his cat, Jumbum.  Above all, Lester valued the time spent with his granddaughters. Lovingly referred to as “Papa”, Lester will be fondly remembered as a doting father and grandfather who loved watching anything the kids watched, including SpongeBob SquarePants.

Besides his parents and wife, Lester was predeceased by his cousin, Roland Kokenburg.

Survivors include his 3 sons, Ryan H. Bradley and his wife, Connie, Jeffrey S. Bradley and David M. Bradley and his wife, Sonia; his 3 granddaughters, Karen Ann, Emma Lynn, and Katelyn Elizabeth and his lifelong friends, Neil and Helen Sullivan

Services are private.

Memorial donations in memory of Lester may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 2 Pine West Plaza #202, Albany, NY 12205.