LTC ARTHUR L. BRADSHAW To TAPS

LTC ARTHUR L. BRADSHAW passed away 3/1/2016. He was 97 years old

It saddens me to inform you that my dad, Arthur L. Bradshaw, passed away Tuesday, March 1, 2016 in Merced.  He was a great man & will be missed by many.  He was also very proud to be a member of RAFINO.

Sincerely,

Linda B. Meyer

Obituary:
Arthur was born in Cooleemee, NC, on December 26, 1918 and passed away on March 1, 2016 in Merced, CA at the age of 97 years.
Arthur graduated from China Grove High School.  He was well thought of being voted "Best All Around" and "Most Accomplished".  He was President of his high school class, Capitan of the basketball team and won the NC State barbershop quartet competition.   He worked in Salisbury, NC, in a cotton mill from 1936 to 1940.  He joined the N.C. National Guard on February 23, 1937.  He was married to Virginia Wagoner on December 11, 1937, at the age of 18.  They had their first child, Linda Lee, on February 9, 1942.  
His National Guard unit was called to active duty in 1940 in preparation for World War II.  During 1942 he was re-assigned to the 104th Infantry Division (Timberwolf) at Camp Adair, Oregon, where he was trained as a combat engineer.  His division landed in France in September 1944, and fought in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.  He won numerous commendations for his actions during combat.    He was discharged from the Army in September, 1945, yet remained in the National Guard.  He was commissioned a 2LT in 1947 and returned to active duty as an infantry officer on January 1st, 1949.   His second child, Arthur Lee Jr., was born on March 2, 1949.   He was assigned to Japan in 1949 as part of the 24th Infantry Division as an occupation force.  His unit deployed to Korea at the outset of the Korean War, where he remained until 1951.  After Korea he branch transferred from the Infantry to the Army Finance Corps, remaining until his retirement from the military in Tacoma, Washington, as a Lieutenant Colonel on January 1, 1966, with over 29 years of military service.  He accepted a position with the Puget Sound National Bank in 1966, where he worked until his retirement on September 30, 1982.  
He belonged to the Oakbrook Golf & Country club from 1968 until his death.  He acquired a home on one acre in Merced, CA, in 1993 which had 15 fruit trees – which kept him busy and happy.   His entire life was blessed with many friends – "maybe more than I deserved" - and because of that he has no regrets.   He spent 65 years with his wife, Virginia, prior to her death in March, 2003.  One of his proudest achievements was serving as the superintendent of the Ft. Lewis, WA Sunday School for six years and his subsequent accommodation from the DoD Chief of Chaplains for this service.  He lived by his credo – God, Family, Friends and Country. 
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. with the funeral service beginning at 12:00 p.m. at Stratford Evans Merced Funeral Home, 1490 B Street Merced, CA. Burial will be private. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/mercedsunstar/obituary.aspx?n=arthur-bradshaw&pid=177946069&fhid=3564#sthash.LPvuEwXT.dpuf