William H. Bradley, 65 passed away on Saturday Jan. 5th peacefully at his home in Ware. Bill was born in Frankfort Germany son of the late Isabel Kane Bradley and James P. Bradley on Jan. 18, 1948. He attended Capital page School in Washington DC, for 3 years while serving as a congressional page. He graduated from Ware HS in 1965. Bill attended the University of California-Davis, graduating with a degree in International Relations. He spent time traveling throughout the US, Canada , Mexico, Guatemala and Europe. Bill returned to Western Mass in 1978 and served in politics in many roles. He was field coordinator for Paul Tsongas' Senate Campaign, and later was his field representative for Western Mass. He then became Central Mass Coordinator for the John Kerry for Senate Campaign in 1984. He worked as Director of Constituent Services and Local Relations for Sen. Kerry through 1993. From 1993 to 2001`he worked as State Director for USDA Rural Development, during the Clinton Administration. Bill continued as a political consultant and went on to work in the prisoner re-entry program at the Worcester County Jail under Sheriff Guy Glodis. Locally, Bill served as a delegate to numerous state conventions and in 2004 as a delegate for John Kerry at the Democratic National Convention. He was a member of Ware Council Kof C, Ware Athletic Club and on the board of the Ware Housing Authority. Bill is survived by his loving wife of 30 years Linda (Matusevich) Bradley , sisters Margaret Bradley of NYC , and Patricia Bradley and husband Jim Pojman of Beijing, China, his mother-in-law Marion Matusevich , sister-in-law Maria Newell and husband Rick of Barre, brother-in-law John Matusevich and wife Val of Orange, and many nephews and nieces. He had many loving cousins on the West Coast, especially his beloved Aunt Charlotte Centrella, with whom he and Linda visited in December. Bill was an avid Bob Dylan fan. He loved music ,books, Cape Cod, golf outings and people. Many have been entertained by his harmonious musical sounds of his tambourine and harmonica. Bill will be remembered as a caring, compassionate person, whose goal in life was to help everyone that he could, and he will be remembered by all who knew him. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday Jan.12th, from the Charbonneau Funeral Home, 30 Pleasant St with a Mass at 12:15pm in All Saints Church, North St. Burial will follow in New St. William Cemetery. Calling Hours will be held on Friday from 4 to 7 pm. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Springfield Rescue Mission, Joslin Diabetes Center or the Ware FD Ambulance Service.

[Published in The Republican from January 8 to January 9,
2013]