Cleal Zemira Bradford March 23, 1931 ~ February 27, 2026

Cleal Zemira Bradford was born March 23, 1931 to Sylvester and Thora Black Bradford, in Blanding, UT, the fourth boy of six children.
He lived an amazing and valiant life and returned home to his Heavenly Father on February 27, 2026 at his home in Blanding. He was just one month short of his 95th birthday.
Cleal was very active in the Boy Scouts of America and served in many leadership capacities. He also earned the Silver Beaver Award for his scouting service. 
Cleal graduated from San Juan High School in May of 1949 and was always proud to be a “49er” and attended many happy reunions with his classmates from SJHS.
He also worked at the Blue Mountain tunnel for his father, where he was watchman and bit grinder. That same summer, he met and courted Nancy Carol Barton from Monticello.
Cleal married Nancy on October 12, 1950 in the Mesa, Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their first child, Calvyn Boyd Bradford, was born 9 months later.
Two more children, Terri and Mark were born in Blanding and the couple loved living around family, but after a particularly windy spring they decided to move to Orem, UT where Cleal sold real estate for a while and then started building homes to sell.
Two more children, Valorie and Andrew, were born in Orem. The couple moved several times into the homes that Cleal built in the Orem area and they developed deep friendships with several other couples and families in Orem and loved living there despite moving at least two times a year.
The last project Cleal worked on was a chapel in Orem, where he was hired by the church to be a building supervisor on that project. He then continued with that occupation which took them to East Carbon where he supervised the construction of a seminary building, and then into Price where he supervised the construction of another chapel. This is where their sixth child, Lisa, was born. 
Cleal was always homesick for San Juan County and in 1962 moved back to Monticello, where he bought a small farm and also a cabinet and appliance business. He also sold and delivered propane for a short time.
Their last child, Kelly was born in Monticello. This completed their family of seven children, in the unique birth order of boy-girl, boy-girl, boy-girl, boy.
Cleal and Nancy owned and operated the A&W in Monticello and also in Blanding. They converted the Blanding site into the “Patio Drive Inn” and later sold it to Van Palmer, who ran it for many years. 
They also ran the Prospector Motel for a year while Cleal was building a new home in Blanding. They moved into that home in 1971 and were there for a few short years before building the home they finally settled into for the next 55 years. 
While living in Monticello, Cleal finally got his “dream job” that would define the rest of his working career that lasted into his 90’s.
Cleal worked as Executive Director of Utah Navajo Development Council and the White Mesa Ute Council for many years. He loved his time spent with the Native Americans throughout San Juan County, where he developed many cherished memories and deep friendships. 
Cleal worked with many others to develop the Edge of the Cedars Museum and College of Eastern Utah in Blanding. He was also a city councilman and the Mayor of Blanding, where he was instrumental in the increased net worth of the city by double. 
Cleal served on the Utah State Water Board, the Utah Centennial Commission, and chaired the Rural Utah Child Development board that brought Headstart to San Juan County. 
He started the San Juan Foundation that raised money to acquire buildings for the College of Eastern Utah classrooms, dorms and cafeteria.  One of the buildings on campus now bears the name of the “Bradford-Lee Technology Building”. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate degree from USU.
Cleal always had good health and was very strong, but had great concern for others to have excellent health care. He spent many hours in various capacities bringing doctors, nurses and other staff to work in many locations within San Juan County.
In fact, the first nursing class ever held in San Juan County was in his living room. He even served on the San Juan County Health Care board for many years and became the CEO of the San Juan Hospital for a few years. 
Cleal and his oldest daughter, Terri, wrote four books together weaving family history into the history of the area. He was a historian at heart and did all he could to preserve the history of the area.  
Cleal was an extraordinary man and always thought outside of the box on how to get things done.  He loved to dream, develop, build, and trade.
He loved to serve in the temples of Manti, Mesa and Monticello and was a temple worker for some time in the Monticello Temple. Lately, he attended at least twice a week and this beautiful edifice became his sanctuary. 
Of course, his most prized possession was his family. Nancy passed away in February of 2017 and he remarried Kay Jolley eight months later, a marriage that brought three of her daughters to the union. 
He loved his two wives and children and would do anything to help them and loved to see them succeed. 
At this moment, his posterity includes (including in-laws) 20 children, 83 grandchildren, 126 great grandchildren and 15 great-great grandchildren, for a total of 244 posterity. 
To his grandchildren, which included many neighborhood children, he was known as “Grandpa Ice cream” because he always had an ice cream cone in the making for those who visited him at his home.
His favorite statement was “Ice cream is brain food and if you eat it on Sunday, it’s spiritual brainfood.” 
His contributions were many and his presence on this earth will be missed terribly. 
The many expressions of love from his friends, and grandchildren are a testament to his service and love for his family and friends.
Cleal is survived by his wife Kay Jolley, daughter Terri (Tom) Winder, son Mark (Julie), daughter Valorie (Jason) Rampton, son Andrew, daughter Lisa (Ivan) Carr, and son Kelly (Debbie).
He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Blaine, Tex, and Kay, Bradford sisters Theda Bradford and Betty Hawkins, oldest son Calvyn Boyd and his wife Ramona, daughter-in-law Cindy and four grandsons.
Card of thanks
The Bradford family would like to express our appreciation and love to all that have shown your support and love during this sorrowful time of loss. Thank you for your expressions of love and concern along with good food and prayers for comfort.