POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Jesse Russell "J.R." Bradshaw, 82, of Poplar Bluff, formerly of Whitewater and Delta, went to be with Jesus on Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015.
A veteran of the Korean War, he departed this life on Veterans Day. He served his country in the U.S. Army as a private from 1953 to 1955.
He was born March 25, 1933, in Delta to Ralph and Martha Hester Bradshaw. A graduate of Delta High School, he accepted Christ as his Savior as a teenager at the First Baptist Church in Delta.
J.R. and Mary Belle Mouser were married May 11, 1958, at Mountain View Church in Marquand, Missouri. They raised their five children to be honest, hard-working and willing to help others.
J.R. did whatever it took to help make ends meet when providing for his family.
He worked for Sam Tanksley Trucking, May Greene School as a custodian and in housekeeping for five years at Saint Francis Medical Center before he retired.
J.R. enjoyed hunting and fishing in his younger years.
He later loved taking family and friends out to eat.
Loving survivors include four children, Ellen (Greg) Hager of Poplar Bluff, Elzena Simmons of Cape Girardeau and Ellis (Trenna) Bradshaw and Eston Bradshaw, all of Whitewater; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; three sisters, Maebell (Alvin) Schearf of Delta, Mablene (Junior) Bartels of Whitewater and Martha Lou (Bob) Nelson of Cape Girardeau; and a host of other family and friends.
In addition to his wife and parents, he was preceded in death by his eldest son, Eric, Ellen's twin; two brothers, Ralph "Eddie" and Darrell Bradshaw; and a sister, Emodean Hoffmeister.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the chapel of McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.
The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Mike Huffman officiating, assisted by the Rev. Clifton Trentham.
Burial with military honors will follow at Kenyon Cemetery at Delta.
Memorials may be made to the Kenyon Cemetery in care of Maebell Schearf.
Online condolences may be made at mccombsfuneralhome.com.
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