Grace "Jaque" Green Bradford

Markham - Grace "Jaque" Green Bradford passed away peacefully in her home on December 6, 2025 in Markham, Virginia. She was accompanied by two of her favorite things: her family and the music of Elvis. Jaque loved family and community. She helped and guided those around her and always wanted what was best for them. She went through life with love, strong opinions, and humor. Jaque's love radiated out through family and into the broader community.

Jaque was the loving mother of Ann Bradford Vaughan (Graham) and the proud Nana of her grandchildren Walker and Mackenzie. She was their biggest fan and provided them with unwavering love and support. While she often had "a thought" about what they were doing, she followed her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren's adventures closely and couldn't wait to see pictures. When she spoke of them, you heard her pride and love and she lit up with joy. Most importantly, she instilled in them a strong appreciation for their extended family, the family farm, and the community.

Jaque was born May 18, 1945 to Henry and Grace Green. She was the eldest of six siblings-Jaque, Margaret Morris, Hank (Cheryll) Green, John Green, Elizabeth Mathias, and Bill (Sharon) Green- so leadership came early for her. She was the "sistriarch." She guided the family, including numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, through major decisions and worked to hold the family together. After moving from Knoxville, TN back to Markham in 1999, she regularly hosted family dinners and parties, including Christmas Eve and summer crab feasts. Jaque's gatherings blurred family and community together because everyone was welcome at her house. If someone moved to town, they got an invitation. She loved to entertain and threw great parties.

Jaque's love for building community and her attention to others compelled her to write The Markham News. For several years she sent a newsletter with all the goings-on of Markham and the surrounding area. The "surrounding area" eventually expanded to include North Dakota and California. She kept us all informed about major changes in peoples' lives, local events, and ways we could help the community - whether by helping individuals, volunteering opportunities, or organizations that needed donations.

After graduating from Bridgewater College, Jaque had a long career in education. She worked for Knox County Public Schools in Tennessee for three decades, and eventually became head of the county's Language Arts Department. Prior to this, she taught English at Halls and Karns High Schools. Her students adored her. She once walked to her car after work and found it surrounded by tough looking teenagers. They were protecting her car from unseen, hypothetical villains. There was always a story. Many of Jaque's friends from Bridgewater and Knoxville remained a big part of her life until the end, and she loved it when she could introduce them to her life in the country.

Jaque was a giver, a helper, and a leader. She always had an opinion to share or a direction to push you. She did all these things with love, respect, and humor. She had a mischievous smile and always had a joke or a fun story. Her house became a social hub in town. As her time approached, it remained so, as a steady stream of friends and family visited to share memories, love, and laughter. There will be a difficult hole to fill in the community, and we'll have a Blue Christmas without her.

Along with her love for others, her strong will and independence were unquestionable, which the song My Way (Elvis' version, obviously) nicely encapsulates:

I've lived a life that's full

I've travelled each and every highway

And more, much more than this

I did it my way

Two of Jaque's favorite places to donate were St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and Blue Ridge Hospice. If you would like to make a donation to one of these organizations, her family would appreciate it.

Services will take place at Markham Stone Church (3212 Stone Church Rd., Markham, VA)-- Jaque's family will receive friends on Thursday, Dec. 18 from 4-6 PM and then celebrate her life with a service on Friday, Dec. 19 at 1:00 PM. A reception will immediately follow the Celebration of Life service at the family farm, Hartland Orchard (3064 Hartland Ln, Markham, VA).

Online condolences may be expressed at www.moserfuneralhome.com