BRADLEY, DALE AND BESSIE (DICKINSON)

by Darwin and Maxine Bradley

Entry F45 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Dale and Bessie Bradley 25th Anniversary 1970

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.

               To 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.