BRADLEY, DALE AND BESSIE (DICKINSON)
Dale Bradley was born August 15, 1908 in Thurston County Nebraska to Charles Rawl-eigh and Bettie Ann (Gustin) Bradley. In 1911 the family came to the Sandhills to homestead 25 miles Northwest of Mullen. Dale attended grade school at Dist. #119 in Cherry County. He started to High School in Mullen when his father passed away July 1, 1926, so he remained at home to help his Mother run the ranch. In 1940, he and his Mother moved to a ranch 10 miles Northwest of Mullen.
Bessie Louise Dickinson joined the Mullen High School teaching staff' in September 1944. Bessie was from Lincoln, Nebraska, the daughter of Buford and Rachel (Reynolds) Dickinson. She attended Dist. #126 Lancas-ter County, Nebraska; Teacher's College High School in Lincoln; The University of Nebraska and taught school in Mason City and Mullen.
It wasn't long until Dale started making several trips to Mullen to see the new school teacher. Dale and Bessie `slipped off' to Bridgeport, Nebr. and were married March 24, 1945. Bessie finished her year of teaching and moved to the ranch. She helped with the ranch work, raised a large garden, and had geese and chickens. Besides cattle they had sheep. Bessie raised the orphan animals on the bottle. All the great nieces and nephews liked to go to Uncle Dale's and help Aunt Bessie feed the lambs.
They continued ranching north of Mullen until the Spring of 1957. They sold their ranch to Leonard Ericksen and bought a small place on the outskirts of Mullen, moving the buildings and all from out north. They planted trees and made a very attrac-tive building site. They had a few cattle. Dale and Bessie were very active in the Square Dance Club. Dale carried the South Star Route until he retired in June 1973. Bessie became active in Girl Scouts, Histori-cal Society, Genealogy, and took a semester at the Mid Plains College at North Platte on Genealogy. Bessie worked at the Mullen Bank, first as part time and then full time. Anything or anyone that needed a helping hand, Bessie was there to help. She was very active in the Methodist Church and its activities.
After Dale retired, he helped whenever or wherever someone needed help. He passed away May, 1980.
Bessie still continued to live on the place where she became ill the last of May 1983 and was in the hospital in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. She was home one week when she passed away in July 24, 1983.
T0 FRIENDSHIP: A Friend is someone lovely, who Cuts her Chrysanthemums for you, And, giving, cares not for the cost, Nor sees the blossoms she has lost, But rather, valued friendships store, Gives you her best and grows some more.