Bradford Burt Mandell's Obituary
Bradford Burt Mandell, (Retired Major, USAF), born April 25, 1941 in Cohasset, Massachusetts, passed away on May 11, 2011 at his residence in Leesburg, VA, surrounded by his loving family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Richard Ellis Mandell and Elizabeth Lambert Mandell; daughter, Michelle Elizabeth Mandell, and a brother, Richard Mandell. He is survived by his loving wife, Nita C. Mandell (of Leesburg, VA); daughters, Jennifer E. Mandell and companion Todd Raigel (of Dayton, VA), Michelle Morgan and husband Steve (of Wheeling, WV), and Deanna Slaterbeck and husband Andrew (of Fredericksburg, VA); a son, Gordon Dean Wood, II, and wife Juliye (of Leesburg, VA); a brother, Robert Mandell and wife Linda (of Riverview, FL); sisters, Anne Bolderson and husband Bob (of Sebastian, FL) and Jean MacDonald and husband Bob (of Austin, TX); eight grand-children whom he adored – Theresa, Baylie and Alison Morgan, Casey and Forrest Slaterbeck, and Mason, Zoe and Spencer Wood; several nieces and nephews; and the many friends that he made throughout his life’s journey.
He was a member of the United States Air Force from 1959 until his retirement in 1980. During this time he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Ohio State, as well as his Phi Beta Kappa Key, which had been his heartfelt goal for his mother and family. He also earned his Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Stanford University. Upon his retirement from the military, he continued working as a systems’ analyst and software engineer both in the private sector and as a contractor for the U.S. military. Most recently, Brad owned and operated his own business, Objective Services. Through-out this time he proudly acted as Business Consultant for Supag, an International Company based in Switzerland.
He was an inspiration and a hero to his family, friends, and the many people he met along the way. His greatest love was his wife, Nita, and his family. He was a great lover of life and of people. He loved to laugh and, more importantly, make others laugh. He enjoyed traveling, visiting with friends and relatives, spending time on the computer, and memorializing his life experiences through pictures and writings. After receiving a diagnosis of terminal cancer in November of 2009, he made the brave choice to live with cancer, rather than die from it, continuing to live his life to the fullest and sharing that journey with everyone around him. He was very grateful for the life that he had and felt that his life was very blessed. He left a legacy of his teachings through his knowledge and example. He will be greatly remembered and terribly missed. Memorial Service: Private, family celebration of his life to be held June 25, 2011 at a family residence in Leesburg.
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