Jeffrey Austin Bradley

Jeffrey Austin Bradley, 64, died on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee. He was born in Albany, New York, on March 26, 1959, the third child of Stanley E. and Mary Lou (Marcy) Bradley. Jeffrey was raised in Dryden and then moved to Nashville with his parents in 2009, who predeceased him in 2020 and 2021.  His loving siblings continued the oversight of his care due to his special needs from birth.

Jeff is survived by his sister, Cynthia LaBuff (Lee) of Trumansburg, New York, and two nephews, Kyle LaBuff and Patrick LaBuff both of Connecticut: his sister, Pamela Capps, and two nephews Don Dylan Capps and Trevor Capps of Florida, and his brother, Alan Bradley of Nashville, Tennessee. The family is eternally grateful to Jeff’s primary caregivers, Adis Mesert and Gizachew (Gee) Debele, who loved and cared for Jeffrey like a brother.

Jeffrey was truly special. He had a kind spirit, charm, and an infectious sense of humor. He attended Dryden Central School before briefly working at Challenge Industries. The family appreciates how, at school, each sibling’s friend group would engage with Jeffrey respectfully and with joy. He loved making others laugh by creating a special language for ordinary, everyday things or assigning unique and endearing names to family members and friends. In his younger years, he would walk around Dryden, “owning the village,” and speak to whoever he met. A connection with Jeff would lift your day.

Music was Jeffrey’s world. He had a particular fondness for the popular music of the times, especially The Beatles. He learned every lyric on every album he owned and rocked back and forth for hours, singing to the songs of his ever-expanding record collection. Whenever asked why he liked rocking to his music so much, he answered, “It calms the butterflies in my stomach.” He would bring a record album to his hairstylist (often his sister, Pam, when she visited), pointing to a favorite artist—Paul McCartney, Peter Tork, David Bowie--requesting a similar cut and color. On occasion, if his brother, Alan, could take him to a concert of one of his favorite artists, it would be the thrill of his life. Sometimes, a kind artist would grant him a visit backstage or sign an autograph because of his “specialness.” Jeffrey lived with his sister, Cynthia, for almost a year while he transitioned between his aging parents’ home and his new primary caregivers. She and her family cared for and connected with him, always delighting in his presence.

A celebration of life will take place in New York in the summer. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Racker Center, 322 Wilkins Rd., Ithaca, NY 14850, or the Tennessee Respite Coalition, 2603 Elm Hill Pike, Nashville, TN 37214.