William Clifford "Cliff " Bradford

April 30, 1932 - December 9, 2025

W illiam Clifford "Cliff" Bradford, 93, of Camden, AL passed away peacefully on December 9th at Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veteran's Home in Pell City, AL. He was born on April 30, 1932 in Vredenburgh, AL, grew up in Camden, AL, and lived a life defined by faith, service, and passion for his family and career.

He proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War, demonstrating courage and dedication long before beginning his historic career in aerospace. A remarkable engineer and trailblazer in the American aerospace history, he spent 32 years with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) where he was recruited at his alma mater – Troy State University. Throughout his distinguished career, he contributed to engineering, research and development, and the analysis and design of the electronic systems used for the acquisition, transmission, retrieval, and analysis of mission-critical data.

He was responsible for the technical management of avionics systems at both the Johnson Space Center (JSC) and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). His leadership and expertise supported landmark programs including the Space Shuttle, Spacelab, and the International Space Station. He received numerous awards for his contributions and played a role in every manned space flight from the formation of NASA until his retirement.

He retired as the Director of the Information and Electronic Systems Laboratory at Marshall Space Flight Center, having previously served as Deputy Director. After retirement, he continued to share his wisdom as a Senior Consultant on NASA Peer Reviews focusing on flight avionics, software, software testing, and checkout systems.

Above all his accomplishments, he was a devoted family man. He was married to Jimmie Ruth Bradford for more than 60 years, a partnership marked by steadfast commitment and love. He was the proud father of his two daughters, Sharon and Kelley, and a cherished grandfather. His family will remember his wisdom, faith, and ability to light up any room.

He is survived by his sister Mary Byrne; his daughters, Sharon Morgan and Kelley Howard (Greg); and 5 grandchildren (Nicholas Morgan, Chad Gwathney, Marsena Morgan, Melissa Gwathney, and Kaden Howard); and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his precious wife Jimmie Ruth Bradford; his siblings, Myra Wilkinson and Ira Bradford; his parents, William Oliver Bradford and Lottie Kelley Bradford; and his son-in-law, Mike "Muke" Morgan; nephew, Brad Byrne, and brother-in law, Donnie Bryne. His legacy of service, faith, and love endures in the lives of those who knew him and in the history of America's space program.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, December 16. 2025, at 10:00 in the morning in Camden, AL at Dunklin Funeral Home. Visitation will take place prior to the service, with burial following at Kelly Cemetery in Pine Hill, AL.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude for the men and women who cared for "Mr. Clifford" in his final years at COL Robert L. Howard State Veteran's Home. You did what we could not, and we will forever be thankful for you all. The family would also like to extend appreciation to Lakeside Hospice for all the care they provided as Clifford transitioned from this world.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer Research, COL Robert L. Howard State Veteran's Home, The Greater Huntsville Humane Society, or to a charity of your choosing. William Clifford Bradford made a lasting positive impact on his family, church, friends, and job.