Phyllis Ann (Little) Bradford was born September 16, 1932 to Lena and Karl Little of Mount Vernon, Illinois. She was the youngest of her siblings; Katherine, Carl, and Lilly.
True to her name, she grew to a height of only five feet tall, but her small frame could not contain her overflowing personality and attitude. She attended Eddison School and began working at the age of 12 years old, standing on a #4 washtub so she could reach the sink to wash dishes. She was a steadfast friend and caretaker to all whom she knew.
She and her best friend then, Peggy, soon to be Badget, eloped with their betrothed across state lines to be married in a double ceremony, where Phyllis married Herman Lee Bradford on December 31, 1947.
She worked as one of the well known “Murphy Girls” at the Murphy’s Department Store where she made a good many friends. She was an avid league bowler and loved to dance and listen to music, especially Elvis Presley. She and Herman ran a local gas station/restaurant/towing service, Bradford’s Tinco. They also traveled and had many adventures, including a brief stint of mining out west where she broke the line chef’s heart by properly washing his “well seasoned” coffee pot of many years.
At the age of 40, Phyllis retired her traveling shoes to become the one thing she had most wanted, a mother, to Malena Michelle Bradford, born on January 7, 1973. Named after her grandmother, Mary Lena, she was to be their only child and thereby duly spoiled rotten. She was the very luckiest child on earth to be raised by such wonderful, loving parents. Malena was married to DaWayne Deon Cotton on September 5, 1992.
On July 12, 2003, Phyllis was made a grandmother for the first time to Parker Lee Cotton and again on June 13, 2007 to Emily Grace Cotton. Her heart was full to bursting for these grandbabies, whom she immediately set about to love, care for, and spoil rotten.
Phyllis passed away at her childhood home on October 28, 2020 at 10:08 pm surrounded by her family and attended to by the very excellent, caring nurses from Residential Hospice.
A Visitation will be held Sunday, November 1, 2020 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at Hughey Funeral Home in Mount Vernon, Illinois. A Funeral Service will begin at 1:00 pm with Pastor Jason Webb officiating. Interment will follow at Mount Vernon Memorial Gardens in Woodlawn, Illinois. Memorials may be made in Phyllis’ honor to the Alzheimer’s Association. Please remember to observe social distancing at this time. We are limited to 25 people in our building at a time. Following the CDC and NFDA regulations, we encourage everyone to wear a mask in the facility. They will be made available, upon request. Call Hughey Funeral Home at 618-242-3348 or visit hugheyfh.com for further information.
Phyllis is survived by her daughter; son-in-law; both grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; sister-in-law, Jean Bradford; and brother-in-law, Andy Raduenzel.
She was preceded in death by her husband; both parents; all siblings; stepfather, Riley H. Prewitt; brother-in-law, Buster Bradford; and many niece, nephews, and good friends. May they all be rejoicing together again in heaven in the presence of the Lord Almighty in a grand reunion as she is welcomed home. Until we see you again Phyllis Ann, we all love you.
