1923 – 2013

TURNER — Albert H. Bradford, 89, of Turner, died Friday morning, Jan. 25, at his family farm in Turner.

He was born on July 25, 1923, in Pittston, a son of Everett and Fannie (Hersey) Bradford. He graduated from Bridgton Academy and went on to Coyne Electrical School in Boston. Throughout the years, he also took courses with the Agriculture Extension through the University of Maine.

Albert was a veteran of the United States Navy and served in the Seabees. Upon his return from the service, he worked in Cortland, N.Y. on a Guernsey dairy cow farm that was owned by J.C. Penney and at the time was the highest appraised herd in the U.S.

In 1950, he moved back home to Maine and went to work on the Clinton Goodnow Farm in Turner. On Aug. 28, 1962, he married Lynette Wagner in Dixfield; they made their home in Turner. In 1963, Albert purchased the cows and later the farm from the Goodnows and continued the operation.

Albert was one of the most decorated Jersey dairy cow breeders in the U.S., having been awarded several accolades over the years, including the Master Breeder award in 1997. He also was the recipient of the New England Green Pastures Award. Not only was he a successful breeder, but he had one of the top production herds from 1975 to 1990 for his herd size and won the Eastern Jersey Herd Production Award for 14 years. During the mid 80s, his herd was in the top 10 for mild and fat, regardless of herd size. This was all accomplished with his own breeding, having only purchased two animals.

Albert was also very involved in Turner town business, where he served as a selectman for 27 years. He worked on various committees and was instrumental in getting the re-route of Route 4 in Turner. He was a longtime member of the Auburn Church of the Nazarene and had served on the budget and finance committee over the years.

He was a great steward of the land who appreciated everything nature had to offer. In 1973, he was recognized with the outstanding woodland program award for Androscoggin County Soil and Water District. Albert enjoyed hiking, hunting, bird watching, and just simply being outdoors.

Albert was a wonderful people person and had a great gift of connecting with others. He will be greatly missed by all of his family and friends and anyone who had the opportunity to know him.

Albert is survived by his wife, Lynette, of Turner; a stepdaughter, Norma Graffam Boothby, of Livermore; daughters, Suzanne Madden and her husband, Timothy, of Livermore, Leta Dinnean and her husband, Paul, of North Haven, Conn., and Laurel De Lige and her husband, Kenji, of Turner; two stepgrandchildren, Clinton Boothby and his wife, Susan, of Livermore and Robert Boothby and his wife, Denise, of Livermore; grandchildren, Ashley Stephenson and her husband, Thomas, of Wayne, Parker Madden of Portland, Bethany Couch and her husband, Nathan, of Norway, Moriah, Joshua, Elizabeth and Daniel De Lige, all of Turner; two great-grandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; and four step-great-great-grandchildren; siblings, Wesley Bradford of Agawam, Mass., Lester Bradford of Mt. Vernon, Wash., Phillip “Kenny” Bradford of Cheshire, Conn., and Carolyn Williams of Topsham; and several nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Alice Myers Graffam, on Jan. 22, 1961, whom he married Sept. 11, 1948; siblings, Elon and Robert Bradford, Helen Fitzgerald and Laurestine Drury.

Words of condolence and tribute may shared with Albert’s family and friends on his tribute wall at www.wilesrc.com.

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