Chatham Gathers to Honor Former Councilman

In the gray rain Tuesday morning, friends and family of Thomas E. Bradley gathered at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chatham Borough to bid farewell to the former councilman.

Bradley died on Thursday at the age of 86 of cancer. He had served as a councilman for 12 years, from 1984 until 1996.

Former mayor Barbara Hall called Bradley “a gentleman, very sincere and very serious about his service to the public.” She said he was the sort of man who worked very hard in his capacity as councilman, but did not publicize his work.

“He was … very quiet about it. Probably many people would not even know that he had served on the council,” Hall said.

Hall and Borough Mayor Nelson Vaughan credited Bradley with instituting the use of individual trash bags in 1991 as part of the state’s Pay-As-You-Throw program.

“He pursued that idea of individual bags,” Hall said. By requiring residents to pay for green bags, the initiative promotes conscientious decision-making about how much waste households produce and a greater awareness of recyclable materials.

“That was all him,” Vaughan said. “He did that.”

Bradley also volunteered with the Chatham Emergency Squad for 15 years and also served as its president.

Bradley was born on June 29, 1924 in Avalon, Penn. and served in the Army Reserves while attending Penn State. He served for three years in World War II before returning to Penn State and finishing his degree in industrial engineering.

“He was an engineer, and engineering showed in all his work and decisions for the council,” Hall said.

Bradley worked for 35 years for Leeds & Northrup in several locations before managing the New Jersey/New York office. Only after retiring in 1983 did he run for council.

The family asks for donations to the Chatham Emergency Squad in lieu of flowers.