Ella Marie Bradleywent home to be with the Lord on May 1, 2015 after many years of battling various illnesses. She did not give up, she just handed the battle over to the Maker. She was born on February 2, 1946 in Alto, Louisiana to the parentage of Leonard James and Earnestine Richard James.
She received her formal education in the Richland Parish School District, graduating from Eula D. Britton High School. After graduating from high school, she married the love of her life, Curlee Bradley on August 3, 1964. God blessed this union with four wonderful children.
Sister Bradley confessed a hope in Christ at an early age and was baptized at the Bell Union Baptist Church in Winnsboro, Louisiana. After moving to Dallas in 1965, she soon united with Carver Heights Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Tyler Carter. Before her health began to fail, she was a faithful servant of the Lord as a deaconess, member of the Senior Usher Board, Hospitality Ministry and Youth Usher Board director. She yearned to be more like Jesus thus had been a faithful member of Adult Sunday Church School.
Most of her adult life had been spent as a homemaker. The last job that she held was as a cafeteria worker in the Dallas Independent School District at Atwell Middle School. Her great passion was trying out new recipes. When she was able, she would cook huge meals and invite the entire family over. She loved her family and was affectionately known as Aunt Pee Wee to her many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Rev. Leonard James, mother Ernestine James, four sisters; Elizabeth James, Ida Thomas, Katie Mae Johnson, and Monica Harris, a brother Leonard James, Jr.
She leaves to cherish her memories three loving daughters; Thea Bradley and Lakeisha Bradley of Dallas, TX and Yolanda Lancaster, Ft. Worth, TX; one devoted son, Ernest James (Chandra) of Dallas; six brothers; Henry James, Monroe, LA, Bennie James, El Segundo, CA, Johnnie James (Sandra), Dallas, TX, Lee Arthur Timmons (Cherrie), Ft. Worth, TX, Larry Timmons, Waco, TX, and Michael Timmons, Shreveport, LA; seven sisters, Lillie Bright, Chicago, IL, Rosetta Wilson, Dallas, TX, Francis Harden (Henry), Kansas City, KS, Frances, Teresa Lynn, Lachanda and Anise Timmons all of Shreveport, LA; eleven grandchildren, eight great grandchildren, and a host of nephews, nieces, other relatives, friends and loving church family.