Anita Elaine Bradley

Beloved School Teacher, Children's Author, and Woman of Faith
Anita Elaine Bradley, 95, passed away peacefully on November 16, 2025, at Sunrise Assisted Living in Burlington, Massachusetts, after living with Alzheimer's disease in her last few years. Anita, preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, Harry, as well as her brother, Bobby, and her sister, Dorothy, is survived by her children: Mark and his wife, Paulette, of Dallas, Texas; Lance of Lexington, Massachusetts; and Kim Johnson and her husband, David, of Billerica, Massachusetts; as well as seven grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved and prayed for faithfully.
Born and raised during the Great Depression, Anita learned resilience and resourcefulness at an early age. One of her most cherished memories was the day her mother surprised her by asking if she had the chance to go to college, would she be a teacher or a nurse? Anita answered, "Teacher." College hadn't been a thought of hers before that question, but the sacrifices her mother made to provide her a chance to attend transformed her life. "We have enough saved for one year, and we'll worry about the next year when it comes," her mother said—an opportunity that shaped Anita's lifelong commitment to learning and children.
Anita later earned her master's degree in Elementary Guidance Counseling and taught first grade for 30 years, working with hundreds of first graders, most of her career in Westwood, Massachusetts. She was also a published author of children's books, including The Wiggles Book and Old Joe Bear, sharing her love and imagination with many young readers. Upon retirement, Harry and Anita were able to enjoy distant travel adventures to various parts of the world.
Anita's philosophy of life, published in her autobiography, Full Plate, had three central tenets: stepping out, standing up, and holding on. She wrote, "Many times I have held on to the hand of God." She was also deeply proud of her family's history; in Full Plate, she shared that her great-grandfather, Robert Allison of Port Carbon, Pennsylvania, purchased the first Winton automobile sold and registered in America in 1898—a car now part of the Smithsonian collection.
Anita will be remembered for her gentle spirit, her unwavering prayers, and her deep love and tireless, steadfast support for her family, friends, and church family. Anita was an active member of Pilgrim Congregational Church, where she sang in the choir, attended Bible studies, served as editor of the Pilgrim Progress for ten years, and found a close, caring community. Her faith was not just something she talked about - it was something she lived. She prayed daily and taught her children to do the same, planting seeds of faith that continue to grow in the lives of those who knew her.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at Pilgrim Congregational Church, 55 Coolidge Ave, Lexington, MA 02420, on Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Instead of flowers, the family asks that you remember Anita by donating in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association (alz.org).

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