Milton Emerson Bradford Jr.

WEATHERFORD - Milton Emerson Bradford Jr., 71, passed away peacefully Saturday, May 1, 2021, at his home after a courageous battle with cancer, surrounded by the presence of family and the voice of his son, Garrett. Celebration of Life Service: 1 p.m. Friday, May 7, 2021 at Greenwood Baptist Church, Weatherford. Interment: 3 p.m. Saturday, May 8, 2021 at Garden of Memories in Lufkin. In lieu of flowers, Milt and the family request donations to Greenwood Baptist Outreach, 1504 Greenwood Cutoff Road, Weatherford, TX 76088, or Horsemen For Christ Ministries, P.O. Box 9524, Wichita Falls, TX 76308. Milt was born April 22, 1950, in Lufkin, Texas, the son of Milton Bradford, a Baptist preacher and Betty Hawkins Bradford, a schoolteacher. Milt spent his childhood primarily in Huntington with intermittent years in Del Rio and McAllen, Texas, where his father pastored. As a teen, Milt found his love of horses and cattle and began to forge a life centered around that passion. After several years working for Raymond Havard in Lufkin, Milt felt he had the tools to begin his own horse auction company. In 1990, Milt partnered with the famed Oxbow Ranch to launch the first of many successful auctions in Fort Worth and throughout the country. Milt retired from the horse sale business with the sale of the Western Bloodstock company in 2013, but soon found retirement was not for him. In 2017, at the age of 67, Milt launched his next venture in real estate. Along with partner, Don Bell, he continued actively in real estate until his passing. Milt is survived by his wife of 34 years, Mary; son, Garrett; two brothers, Jim (Shannon) Bradford, of Weatherford, and Robert (Carla) Bradford, of San Marcos; nephews, James (Kristy), Bobby (Grace), and Brandon; niece, Christina Bradford; as well as an amazing family of in-laws through his marriage to Mary: Sam and Kathy Milodragovich, Lynne and Stewart Thomson, Tom and Tomi Briggeman, Kim and Linda Briggeman.