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Former Tempe mayor Bradley dies at age 76 Elmer Bradley Longtime Tempe homebuilder Elmer Bradley became mayor of the city at the perfect time. In 1968, Tempe was entering an era of growth and undergoing landmark changes — ideal for Bradley’s construction prowess. In the two years he was mayor, Bradley helped lay the foundation for Tempe’s awakening from a sleepy college town to a city filled with thousands of people. Bradley died Wednesday night of a massive heart attack at a Mesa hospital. He was 76. In the 1960s, Bradley was determined that Tempe had to address growth with bold construction, even though some didn’t want the city to expand, recalled former Mayor Rudy Campbell, who defeated Bradley in their first tries for the mayorship in 1966. His father had been a contractor, and Bradley “was raised to build everything in town,” Campbell said. “He was very aggressive — at times, too aggressive — but it was his style.” That may have led to his defeat in 1970 by 346 votes to Dale Shumway. “He was a very strong-willed person, and if you carry that too far, it will backfire on you,” Campbell said. Even so, Bradley is regarded by many as a key figure in Tempe’s expansion. “He did much to further the development of this city and was mayor when the real rush of development began,” Shumway said. After starting his own construction business in 1957, Bradley concentrated on building custom homes. His office estimates he built 1,500 homes and more than 1,100 apartments and condominiums in Tempe alone. He also built in Mesa. “He developed a good reputation as a builder, and he was very strong in his religion, ” said Jerry Vaughn, sales manager and general manager for 11 years. Bradley and Guy Davidson were 9 and attended the Assembly of God church in Phoenix when they cemented a lifelong friendship. In 1966, the Davidsons, Bradleys and three families founded Grace Community Church — Tempe’s first megachurch with more than 3,000 members. Davidson led it for 22 years. Bradley went on to help found Bethany Community Church in 1977, then teamed with Davidson in 1997 to found and build Arizona Community Church in south Tempe. “I told Guy when he moved back to town, I said, ‘Guy, read my lips. No new churches,’” Bradley said in a Tribune interview in 1998. But Davidson found seven acres at Rural and Knox roads and built another church. “He did probably more in a two-year time as mayor than anyone else,” said Richard Neuheisel, who served on Bradley’s City Council and was later vice mayor. The “inverted pyramid” City Hall and a new library were built. A new housing code led to redevelopment of downtown Tempe, while adoption of a strict sign ordinance with a design review process for new development ended years of resistance. Born Aug. 4, 1930, Bradley went to North High School in Phoenix. Lanky and standing 6-foot-5, he played college basketball at Seattle Pacific University in Washington. His company quit building homes in the late 1990s, but Bradley remained involved in construction partnerships and projects, said his office manager of 40 years, Peggy Rollins. Bradley is survived by his wife of 53 years, Ellen; three children, Karen Smith and Gary Bradley, both of Tempe, and Kathy Schell of Scottsdale, and eight grandchildren. Services are pending at Carr-Tenney Mortuary in Tempe. Contact Lawn Griffiths by email, or phone (480) 898-6522
Former Tempe mayor Bradley dies at age 76 Elmer Bradley Longtime Tempe homebuilder Elmer Bradley became mayor of the city at the perfect time. In 1968, Tempe was entering an era of growth and undergoing landmark changes — ideal for Bradley’s construction prowess. In the two years he was mayor, Bradley helped lay the foundation for Tempe’s awakening from a sleepy college town to a city filled with thousands of people. Bradley died Wednesday night of a massive heart attack at a Mesa hospital. He was 76. In the 1960s, Bradley was determined that Tempe had to address growth with bold construction, even though some didn’t want the city to expand, recalled former Mayor Rudy Campbell, who defeated Bradley in their first tries for the mayorship in 1966. His father had been a contractor, and Bradley “was raised to build everything in town,” Campbell said. “He was very aggressive — at times, too aggressive — but it was his style.” That may have led to his defeat in 1970 by 346 votes to Dale Shumway. “He was a very strong-willed person, and if you carry that too far, it will backfire on you,” Campbell said. Even so, Bradley is regarded by many as a key figure in Tempe’s expansion. “He did much to further the development of this city and was mayor when the real rush of development began,” Shumway said. After starting his own construction business in 1957, Bradley concentrated on building custom homes. His office estimates he built 1,500 homes and more than 1,100 apartments and condominiums in Tempe alone. He also built in Mesa. “He developed a good reputation as a builder, and he was very strong in his religion, ” said Jerry Vaughn, sales manager and general manager for 11 years. Bradley and Guy Davidson were 9 and attended the Assembly of God church in Phoenix when they cemented a lifelong friendship. In 1966, the Davidsons, Bradleys and three families founded Grace Community Church — Tempe’s first megachurch with more than 3,000 members. Davidson led it for 22 years. Bradley went on to help found Bethany Community Church in 1977, then teamed with Davidson in 1997 to found and build Arizona Community Church in south Tempe. “I told Guy when he moved back to town, I said, ‘Guy, read my lips. No new churches,’” Bradley said in a Tribune interview in 1998. But Davidson found seven acres at Rural and Knox roads and built another church. “He did probably more in a two-year time as mayor than anyone else,” said Richard Neuheisel, who served on Bradley’s City Council and was later vice mayor. The “inverted pyramid” City Hall and a new library were built. A new housing code led to redevelopment of downtown Tempe, while adoption of a strict sign ordinance with a design review process for new development ended years of resistance. Born Aug. 4, 1930, Bradley went to North High School in Phoenix. Lanky and standing 6-foot-5, he played college basketball at Seattle Pacific University in Washington. His company quit building homes in the late 1990s, but Bradley remained involved in construction partnerships and projects, said his office manager of 40 years, Peggy Rollins. Bradley is survived by his wife of 53 years, Ellen; three children, Karen Smith and Gary Bradley, both of Tempe, and Kathy Schell of Scottsdale, and eight grandchildren. Services are pending at Carr-Tenney Mortuary in Tempe. Contact Lawn Griffiths by email, or phone (480) 898-6522 Former mayor of Tempe Elmer Bradley dies at 76
Katie Nelson It's almost impossible not to see Elmer Bradley's impact on Tempe. Hundreds of families live in homes and apartments built by Elmer Bradley Construction. The City Council guides the city in the upside-down pyramid he had built. Tempe's library and history museum are in the municipal complex he had developed. Hundreds of children have gone to the Bible camp in Pinetop he helped create. And thousands attend the three Tempe churches he helped found, finance and nourish. Bradley, 76, died of a heart tear at Banner Baywood Medical Center on Wednesday night. But the south Tempe resident's legacy will be long lasting in the Southeast Valley. Bradley was a home builder, a developer, a father and grandfather. From 1968 to 1970, he was Tempe's mayor. Bradley was a Valley native who followed his father into the building business. He was at a construction site just before he died, his family said, looking over Tuscany Village at Painted Mountain, a Mesa golf and housing development he was building with his son, Gary. But Bradley didn't just build homes, although he built a lot of them. He also built churches. They were some of his proudest accomplishments, according to his close friends and family. He was one of the founders of Grace Community Church, near Southern Avenue and Rural Road. He provided the original land on which the church was built and the labor to erect the building. He was a governing elder and even sang in the choir. "Elmer was about impacting lives so he used his gifts and talents and financial resources as a catalyst to mobilize new ideas and ministry and build buildings," said Scott Jones, senior pastor at Grace. Bradley also started Bethany Community Church and Arizona Community Church, both in south Tempe. His most recent church project was Grove Bible Church in Chandler. Before all that, Bradley was born and reared in Phoenix. He graduated from North Phoenix High School. Growing up, he spent his summers working on his father's pinto bean farm in Chino Valley. He was an athlete - a standout basketball player in high school, and a team member at both Southern California Bible College and what's now called Seattle Pacific University. He met his wife, Ellen, when he was in Washington, studying to be a minister. She was a phone operator who transferred one of his calls. He liked the sound of her voice, and they agreed to meet. They married in 1953. Together, they have two daughters, Karen and Kathy and a son, Gary. They have eight grandchildren. It was also in Seattle where Bradley became friends with students who went on to become missionaries. The experience helped prompt Bradley's involvement with churches after he returned to Arizona. "He thought it was his calling," Gary said. He campaigned to be Tempe's mayor in 1966 and lost. He ran again in 1968 and won. Former Councilman Dick Neuheisel said he remembers Bradley's influence on the building of City Hall and the library complex, and the city's design review ordinance, sign ordinance and housing code. He built a legacy: Ex-Mayor dies
Katie Nelson It's almost impossible not to see Elmer Bradley's impact on Tempe. Hundreds of families live in homes and apartments built by Elmer Bradley Construction. The City Council guides the city in the upside-down pyramid he had built. Tempe's library and history museum are in the municipal complex he had developed. Hundreds of children have gone to the Bible camp in Pinetop he helped create. And thousands attend the three Tempe churches he helped found, finance and nourish. Bradley, 76, died of a heart tear at Banner Baywood Medical Center on Wednesday night. But the south Tempe resident's legacy will be long lasting in the Southeast Valley. Bradley was a home builder, a developer, a father and grandfather. And from 1968 to 1970, he was Tempe's mayor. Bradley was a Valley native who followed his father into the building business. He was at a construction site just before he died, his family said, looking over Tuscany Village at Painted Mountain, a Mesa golf and housing development he was building with his son, Gary. But Bradley didn't just build homes, although he built a lot of them. He also built churches. They were some of his proudest accomplishments, according to his close friends and family. He was one of the founders of Grace Community Church, near Southern Avenue and Rural Road. He provided the original land on which the church was built and the labor to erect the building. He was a governing elder and even sang in the choir. "Elmer was about impacting lives so he used his gifts and talents and financial resources as a catalyst to mobilize new ideas and ministry and build buildings," said Scott Jones, senior pastor at Grace. Bradley also started the Bethany Community Church and the Arizona Community Church, both in south Tempe. His most recent church project was the Grove Bible Church in Chandler. Before all that, Bradley was born and reared in Phoenix. He graduated from North Phoenix High School. Growing up, he spent his summers working on his father's pinto bean farm in Chino Valley. He was an athlete - a standout basketball player in high school, and a team member at both Southern California Bible College and what's now called Seattle Pacific University. He met his wife, Ellen, when he was in Washington, studying to be a minister. She was a phone operator who transferred one of his calls. He liked the sound of her voice, and they agreed to meet. They married in 1953. Together, they have two daughters, Karen and Kathy and a son, Gary. They have eight grandchildren. It was also in Seattle where Bradley became friends with students who went on to become missionaries. The experience helped prompt Bradley's involvement with churches after he returned to Arizona. "He thought it was his calling," Gary said. Bradley also thought he should be a politician, yet his political career didn't last long. He campaigned to be Tempe's mayor in 1966 and lost. He ran again in 1968 and won, and then lost his seat in 1970. But although Bradley was only mayor for two years, former Councilman Dick Neuheisel said he remembers Bradley's time in office well because of his influence on the building of City Hall and the library complex, and the city's design review ordinance, sign ordinance and housing code. Neuheisel was a council member when Bradley was in office. "When they record all the history of Tempe, particularly for the good, Elmer's name will be at the top," Neuheisel said. "He did more in those two years than anyone I know." Local businessman John Bebbling said he considered Bradley a mentor. They've known each other for more than 30 years, after meeting at Sunrise Park Resort while skiing. "He was a tough business guy, very frugal," Bebbling said. "But he had a great heart. He showed that in his churches. He was a fireball." |