Charles Bradley "Brad" Thompson

It's hard to put into words the kind of man Brad was-because he was always more than words. He was my husband, my best friend, my adventure partner, and the life of every room he walked into. He lived with a Texas-sized heart, a quick wit, and a gift for turning ordinary days into unforgettable stories.

Brad was a registered nurse who cared deeply for others, not just with skill but with compassion and humor. He had a way of making people feel safe and seen, often with a joke that was "mostly true." He loved fiercely, laughed loudly, and worried in the best ways-usually about us, and always with love.

Doctors determined that Brad's passing was caused by cardiopulmonary arrest. But the story that will become family legend is this: Brad died fighting off three raccoons. A scrappy, ring-tailed trio, bold and mischievous. Brad met them with theatrical bravado, a running commentary, and the punchline he always delivered: "But you should have seen the other guy." That line, like Brad himself, will live on in every story we tell.

Brad is survived by his wife, Dora Thompson; children Zachary, Jenna, and Nicholas;

grandsons Olly and Asher; his mother Jean Rae; and his brother Randy Thompson. He was preceded in death by his father Charles Thompson and brother Rocky Thompson.

If you have a photo, a memory, or a story-funny, heartfelt, or somewhere in between-we'd love for you to send it to Dora.fl@comcast.net

Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.