Terry Lou Bradbury's Obituary
A memorial service will be held, Saturday, March 26th at 2:00 PM, at the Salcha Baptist Church, Salcha, Alaska.
Terry Lou Norris Bradbury died unexpectedly at her sister's home in St. Helens, Oregon on March 8, 2011. She was recovering from an earlier surgery and was just preparing to return home to her family property in Salcha, Alaska. She was 71 years old.
Terry was born to Raymond and Emma Amberson Norris on February 16, 1940 in Douglas, Arizona. She was an only child. Emma and Raymond divorced early in their marriage. Emma then married Johnie Harrel and welcomed three other children into the family. Buddy Harrel of Fairbanks, AK, Charlene Faye Smith of St. Helens, OR and Sue Harrel of Anchorage, AK deceased.
Terry married Keith Mable in 1955 and had two children; Clayton Bradbury of Montesano, WA, and the late Kimball Allred of Fairbanks, AK. The marriage only lasted a short time and Terry later married Jack Owsley and they had two children from that union; Tracy Lynn Bell of Portland and Kelli Ginther of Butte, Montana.
Living out a lifelong dream of hers, she packed up her belongings and left Washington State for Alaska. She arrived in Tok in 1967 where she soon began working for Tok lodge was a waitress. It was here that she met her future husband Forrest Bradbury. They were married on April 13, 1969 in Fairbanks. Having a husband in the construction business created an opportunity for Terry to travel, and be part of her husband's work allowed her to see huge amount of the Alaskan wilderness, which she absolutely loved. She was an avid hunter and fisherwoman, many times out shooting and out catching her male counterparts. While working with Forrest in the early stages of the Alaskan Pipeline, she began to make cookies for the men setting up camps, it wasn't long before she was known as "the cookie lady" a tradition she kept up until her death. In 1973 Forrest and Terry purchased a homestead in Salcha area on the Tanana River. It was here they built their log home, cutting and peeling each log themselves and carving out their sanctuary from the land they purchased. If it wasn't enough Terry encouraged by her husband to become a pilot at the age of 50 and purchased her first plane which they kept on a beautiful runway he built for her. Forrest was killed in an accident in 2001 on the family property.
Terry is survived by her son Clayton and wife Julie Bradbury of Anchorage, Alaska, stepsons; Dennis of North Pole, Alaska, Doug and wife Heather Bradbury of North Pole, Alaska, daughters; Tracy Bell of Portland, OR and Kelli Ginther of Butte, Montana, step daughters; Carolyn Lincoln of Salcha, Alaska, Kathy and husband Rick Hoyt and Kelli Utecht, brother; Buddy and wife Sandy Harrel Fairbanks, Alaska, sister Charlene and husband Al Smith of St. Helens along with numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Online condolences can be made to the family at: www.columbiafh.com
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