Mary Frances Bradley-Owens, great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, sister, auntie, mother-in-law, and beloved friend passed peacefully on March 24, 2024, at home in San Diego, California, surrounded by her five children and family.
Mary was born to Henry Hodges and Frances Calista Ussery Hodges on October 9, 1939, in Eldorado, Texas. She was the fifth daughter born to that union. While attending Blackshear High School, Mary met and married her high school sweetheart, Jake Bradley. Five children were born to that 25-year union. Several years later, she attended San Angelo Business College and became a Licensed Vocational Nurse.
Mary was baptized in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She served on many boards and commissions as a Lay Leader at 17th. Street Independent Methodist Episcopal Church and remarried during those years. With her spouse, Oliver Owens, she was a proud founding member of San Angelo Greater Independent Methodist Episcopal Church where she enjoyed singing in the choir, serving as Choir President and being active in various other roles in the church.
She loved spending precious moments with her family and took delight in being a surrogate mother, opening up her heart and home to all. She welcomed the opportunity to raise her two nieces, Jacquelyn Collins-Powell and Veronica Collins as her own. Mary valued helping those who were in need of hope and healing – this led her to a career of over thirty years in nursing, many of which were at St. John’s Hospital in San Angelo, TX, as a Psychiatric Nurse.
Mary was preceded in eternity by her parents; Henry and Frances Hodges, 4 sisters; Glenn Collins, Bertha Spears, Louisiana House, and Bennie Jo Perryman, spouses; Oliver Owens and Jake Bradley, goddaughter-niece Veronica Collins and her dear godmother & mentor, Queenie Crenshaw.
She leaves to cherish her memory her five children who she dearly loved; Gregory Bradley (CA), Jakie Bradley (CA) (Elis Garcia Bradley), Sabra Bradley (CA), Julian Bradley (TX), and Monica Bradley (CA), one loving goddaughter-niece Jacquelyn Collins-Powell (MD), her precious grandchildren, adored great-grandchildren, treasured nieces and nephews, special cousin Mary Ussery-Chappell (TX), sister-in-law Maxine Bradley-Woods (AZ) and a host of relatives and friends.
Mary will be missed dearly but never forgotten. She will forever be in the hearts and minds of her loved ones.
