William C. Bradford '43

William C. Bradford '43 died on October 16, 2003. He was eighty-one and a resident of Aurora, Ohio.

While at Kenyon, Bill was president of Beta Theta Pi and editor of the Collegian. He was also a member of the Ryebucks and ran the College laundry from the basement of the Village Inn. Because of the United States entry into World War II, Bill graduated from Kenyon under an accelerated program in December 1942 and entered the U.S. Army in January. He rose to the rank of captain commanding a company of combat engineers that cleared land mines and built bridges in Europe.

Returning in 1946, Bill worked briefly for American Steel and Wire before joining the Cleveland, Ohio, office of McGraw Hill in 1948. His early years with the company were associated with Business Week magazine. He eventually became regional vice president based in Chicago, Illinois. After a thirty-year career with McGraw Hill, Bill went on to have a second career focusing on ways to improve the quality control efforts of industrial firms. He started a firm that provided training for sales people in industry and he created a popular program called PRO TALK, now endorsed by many national industrial distributor organizations. In addition, Bill guided the early years of two other companies that published video-based and printed training material for manufacturers.

Bill was a direct descendant of the Mayflower pilgrim governor, William Bradford, and a member of the Society of Mayflower Descendants.

An active alumnus of the College, Bill headed up the fund-raising campaign in the 1970s to renovate Rosse Hall.

Bill enjoyed the role of mentor often spent time encouraging his many associates, family members, and friends.

Survivors include his wife of almost sixty years, Martha Horn Bradford, two daughters, Barbara Bradford and Virginia Bradford Seyler '85; and a son, David H. Bradford '67. Memorial contributions may be made to Kenyon College, Office of Development, Gambier, Ohio 43022-9623, which will go towards the purchase of a bench on Middle Path dedicated to Bill and his efforts on Rosse Hall.

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