John William Bradford

John William Bradford, 90, of Lakewood, Colorado, died on Saturday, July 27, 2024. John was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1933.  He moved to Denver after graduating with a math degree from Tulsa University. During summers he occasionally worked in Colorado’s mountain dude ranches, where he washed dishes and entertained guests while singing and playing his guitar. He also danced with the Central City Dance Group.

John was an avid educator, dance leader, traveler, and world-class game player. John taught math at Colorado Academy for six years and then began a long career in the Jefferson County School District, working with students from kindergarten to high school. He served briefly as the Coordinator of Math for the District. John was an innovator in teaching math concepts, developing original curricula for Cuisenaire rods and Geoboards. His textbook for grades 4-6, titled Everything’s Coming up Fractions, is still being used in classrooms. Following retirement, John tutored students in math and volunteered in classrooms, especially enjoying working with students in the earliest grades.

Music and folk dancing kept John close to his parents and his sister, Mary Josy, for the remainder of their lives. At age thirteen John traveled to Colorado Springs with his parents to learn square dancing from nationally acknowledged square dance entrepreneur, Lloyd Shaw. He later demonstrated waltz dancing for other students with Mary Josy and developed his lifelong love of square and folk dance, both as a dancer and leader. John began to call dances with junior high students when he was 15 and continued to lead square and other folk dances until he was in his late seventies. The Denver University Library Dance Archive includes an Oral History video made of John when he was named a Legend of Dance in Colorado. He was also featured in the documentary, “Square Dance in the American West.”

In the early 1970s, John, his first wife, Linda, and their four children, spent two years in Australia where he taught math. The family then traveled the country in a caravan. After retirement as a teacher, he traveled widely with his wife, Nita, to China, Egypt, Australia, and many other countries in most continents.

John was an active member of Jefferson Unitarian Church, serving as a board president and leading churchwide activities and events with members of his Men’s Group.

John was always happy to play games, from bridge to Scrabble, from ping pong to Rummikub, regularly trouncing his opponents. John became a passionate Pickleball player in his 70s.

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Nita Pratt Bradford, children Carol (Jay) Wilsey, Dorothy (Frank) Vernon, George (Kathy) Bradford, and Andrew (Katie) Bradford, stepchildren Rick (Deana) Pratt, David (Celia) Pratt, and Greg (Tina) Pratt and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

A celebration of life service will be held at Jefferson Unitarian Church on Saturday, September 21 at 11:00 am. The service is available on livestream.