Rex Bradley

Rex A. Bradley VIRGINIA BEACH - Rex Arthur Bradley passed away Nov. 13, 2009. A resident of Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay in Virginia Beach, Mr. Bradley was born on April 15, 1917 in Morgantown, W.Va. He was the son of Frederick Arthur Bradley and Jesse Price Bradley of Elkins, W.Va. Mr. Bradley earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Fairmont State University where he was president of the student body. Following graduation, he began his professional career as a high school physics teacher in Cumberland, Md. In January 1941, he was awarded a commission as an ensign in the Supply Corps of the United States Navy. During World War II, he served on the battleship USS Texas while on North Atlantic convoy duty and during the North Africa invasion. He was also a member of the commissioning crew of the cruiser USS Portsmouth. Mr. Bradley served in the Navy for 22 years, retiring as captain. While in the Navy, he earned a Masters of Business Administration Degree with Distinction from Harvard University. After retiring from the Navy, Mr. Bradley joined Telecable Corp., a former subsidiary of Landmark Communications, as president and general manager. Under his 15 years of leadership, Telecable grew to become one of the top cable television companies in the United States. Mr. Bradley also served as chairman of the National Cable Television Association. After retiring from Telecable, he continued working in the cable industry as an independent consultant. Mr. Bradley served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Norfolk Port Authority, as president of the Norfolk Rotary Club, as a member of the Board of Directors of the local council of the Girl Scouts of America, and participated in numerous United Way Campaigns. He was also a member of the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club and the Norfolk German Club. Mr. Bradley was married for 65 years to the late Eloise Wigg Bradley, a native of Norfolk. He is survived by a daughter, Margaret Rudgard Bradley of Richmond; a son, Rex Arthur Bradley Jr. of Birmingham, Ala.; and two grandsons, Rex Arthur Bradley III and Thomas Rudgard Bradley, also of Birmingham. Mr. Bradley was a lifelong supporter of the Boy Scouts of America. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1936 in Pine Grove, W.Va. Mr. Bradley was the first of three generations of Eagle Scouts in his family. He proudly participated in the ceremony awarding the rank of Eagle Scout to his grandsons, Rex and Tom, in 2003. A memorial service and reception celebrating the life of Mr. Bradley will be held at the Trinity Chapel at Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay, 3100 Shore Drive, Virginia Beach, at 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19. H.D. Oliver Funeral Apts., Laskin Road Chapel, is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in honor of Mr. Bradley to either the Tidewater Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 1032 Heatherwood Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 or to the Fairmont State University Foundation, 1201 Locust Ave., Fairmont, WV 26554.