Obituary of Kevin Keith Bradley

Kevin Keith Bradley, 65, passed away February 4, 2025.

Rosary and Visitation: 10:00 a.m. Thursday, February 13, 2025 at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church.

Mass of Christian Burial: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, February 13, 2025 at St. John the Apsostle Catholic Church. 

Interment: Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Kevin’s name to Catholic Charities of Fort Worth, 249 W. Thornhill Dr., Fort Worth, Texas 76115  Phone: 817-534-0814

Klaus Wiesmeier was born in Munich, Germany in 1959. He learned to walk in his crib in the orphanage. But at age 2, he and his 3-year-old brother Gunter, were adopted by Bernard and Patricia Bradley through Catholic Charities. As Kevin often liked to tell the story, he packed his little bags and made his way to Fort Worth, Texas as quickly as he could, and he never looked back. The two little German boys were welcomed into an Irish Catholic family where they instantly had a new older sister, Helen Anne, who helped the boys adjust while their mother recovered from foot surgery. Their names were soon changed to Kevin and Michael Bradley, and they became naturalized citizens a short time later. With their arrival, the family’s two-bedroom, one-bath home became far too small. Their father, an aeronautical engineer for General Dynamics, designed and oversaw the building of the family’s new two- story home in Richland Hills. The Bradleys were among the founding members of the parish of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church. Kevin attended the school built alongside the new church where he played football for the St. John’s Eagles and ran track. His mother attended all his sporting events and patiently humored him when Kevin asked her to drive beside him in her car and clock his speed when he trained. She also joined the school staff and became his music teacher. It was while attending St. John’s that Kevin survived a “Show and Tell” incident when a classmate brought in baby snakes as his prize exhibit. Kevin was fascinated by the little creatures and enjoyed playing with them until a few hours later when his arm swelled to double its normal size. It turns out that they were baby Copperheads. Kevin attended St. John’s first through eighth grade where he was also part of the Boy Scouts. He, his brother, and his dad carved race cars and participated in the Pinewood Derby each year and went on countless camping trips.

After St. John’s, Kevin attended Msgr. Nolan High School. He tried playing football for a time but gave it up because the linemen had become too big and as a skinny boy he had to run for his life. He enjoyed high school nonetheless and graduated with the Class of ’78. His sister always marveled at how many girls gave him signed photos when picture day rolled around each year. He carried them proudly in his wallet. After graduating from Nolan, Kevin originally planned to attend culinary school but was lured into the roofing business after a significant storm. He attended Tarrant County College for a time, but eventually found his real niche in woodworking, which became the focus of his career. Later, he put his career on pause and became the caretaker of his aging aunt and mother after his father passed. He took them shopping and to doctors’ appointments and did the cooking. He lived with his mother in the earth-sheltered house his father had built on two acres in Haslet. He ended up having to spend as much time caring for the property as he did his mom. He said that mowing the land was like caring for a golf course. You had to start all over as soon as you finished mowing. He took care of his aunt for ten years, until her death. His mother’s dementia progressed, and Kevin’s sister retired and joined in helping him care for their mother during Covid on into her 92nd year. They had lost their brother, Mike, in 2008 so the two remaining siblings cared for their mother in the end. They were both at her side when she passed.

Once their parent’s home was sold, Kevin was anxious to get his own place and re-enter the work force. Buying a house during Covid resulted in his home becoming his favorite renovation project and his trips to Home Depot becoming even more frequent than when caring for his mom’s home. Where better to seek a job since he already bled orange? At first, he wasn’t sure about the job in the tool rental department, but he eventually got used to using a computer and loved taking care of his customers. It is no surprise that Kevin was working installing wood panels in his garage when he passed.

Along the way, Kevin was blessed with four children: his stepdaughter, Mistie, his sons, Kevin Junior and Stephen Randall, and his youngest, Michelle Anne. Willing to come to the rescue when a car broke down, lend a hand on a construction project, or lend an ear when needed, Kevin was happiest these last few years when interacting and being with his children and grandchildren. He made many friends along the way that he valued as well. Proud of his German ancestry, in recent years he started learning the language and had planned on making a return visit to his homeland with his sister after he retired. His favorite cup displayed the saying, “A Grouchy German is a Sour Kraut.” Kevin also had a green thumb, growing and giving away what seemed like hundreds of ivies and aloe vera plants. He spent hours poring over his coin collection, trying to find and fill in all the spaces in his coin books. He couldn’t resist a good jigsaw puzzle and would get caught up in them for hours. He loved watching game shows (the old ones), history documentaries, and shows where semi-drivers dared the icy roads in Alaska or cut trees in Louisianna bogs. He was funny, gregarious, and active.  He was gearing up to participate once again in the “Walk Across Texas” health challenge. Kevin reported to his sister the night before he died that his Fitbit showed he’d walked 19 thousand steps or almost 10 miles, and it had been a slow day. He enjoyed talking with people and never seemed to run out of words.  Most importantly, Kevin loved his family, enjoyed his friends and would do anything, to a fault, to help anyone and everyone. He will be sorely missed and fondly and lovingly remembered. May he rest in peace.