Bradford, Maudie
BRADFORD, Maudie
Maudie Tripp Bradford of Buckhead, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on November 25, 2023, with her husband of 67 years, James Bradford, at her side. She was 90.
Maudie led a full and happy life. Though she traveled the world with Jim, she most enjoyed daily life in Atlanta, periodic escapes to St. Simons Island and football games in Athens. She possessed a delightfully dry wit, particularly when bantering with her husband, family and many friends. She was not particularly fond of change or throwing perfectly good but aging things away - the fridge was repaired many times over the decades before she begrudgingly agreed to replace it.
She loved her family and friends, gardening, tennis, Bulldawgs and regular dogs - not necessarily in that order. She carried a leash in her car, always on the lookout for strays to rescue or bring home – once, including two dogs standing happily in their own driveway. After checking their tags, she quietly slipped away, managing to avoid questions from the homeowners. She passed all those dog-saving habits on to her late daughter, Janet Bradford Morgan, who she and Jim tragically lost to cancer in 2019.
Maudie was born in Greenwood, MS, but was a Georgia girl through and through. She attended R.L. Hope School in Buckhead starting in third-grade and graduated from North Fulton High in 1952, where she was a standout. She played basketball, was a member of the National Honor Society and was voted both the Most Unselfish and Homecoming Queen.
Maudie graduated from the University of Georgia in 1956 with a bachelor's degree in landscape architecture. Her husband and daughter were also both proud UGA grads, with Janet also earning a law degree there.
She was, frankly, a knock-out, which explains why she was crowned Miss Freshman at UGA and why Jim pursued her for so long. They first met when she was 15, and dated on and off while both attended North Fulton. He was smart enough not to give up and they finally and happily married in 1957.
Over the last five years, Maudie and Jim - a longtime broker with E.F. Hutton and other firms in Atlanta - lived at Lenbrook in Buckhead. They are also longtime members of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Peachtree Hills.
Maudie is survived by her husband, Jim; granddaughter, Zoe Grimm-Heaton; son-in-law, Curtis Morgan; and many other friends and family members. A private family service is planned at a later date.
