Gwen Dale "Butch" Bradley Jr.'s Obituary
Gwen Dale “Butch” Bradley Jr., age 83, met his Lord and Savior at his home in Katy, Texas, on January 21, 2026.
Butch was born on September 4, 1942, in Texarkana, Arkansas, to Betty Jo Saulsbury and Gwen Dale Bradley Sr. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings, Paulette Patterson and Dan Bradley.
Butch proudly served his country in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1963. After his service, he owned several gas stations in the Kermit/Monahans/Odessa area. Later in life, he built a successful career in the machine tool business in Houston, where he was known for his strong work ethic and dedication. In 1979 he founded Southern Machine Tool Company with Bob Thompson. In 1990 he formed Coastal Machine Tool and continued the business until he retired in 2020.
Above all else, Butch was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. After meeting the love of his life, Karlene Sue “Susie” Bias in Odessa, they married on June 4, 1962 in San Diego, California. He adored his wife completely—she was his world—and their love story was one for the ages, often compared to a James Garner–style romance straight out of The Notebook.
Butch found joy in the simple pleasures of life. Not only did he love spending time at the lake and playing golf, he also earned his pilots license in 1981. He joyfully flew his 1959 Cessna 172 around the country, hopping airports with Susie. Butch was famous for his love of snacks (faves nachos, popcorn, and ice cream), sports, anything Astros, and especially cheering on his grandchildren as they played. His warm smile, humor, and steady presence will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him.
He is survived by his beloved wife, Karlene Sue Bradley, his siblings: Carolyn Bond, Donna Faltesek, and Sam Bradley (Cindy), his children: Paul Bradley (Sherry) and Karla Stewart (Donnie). He was a proud grandfather to Brittany Connors (Adam), Trey Stewart (Natalie), Jordan Bradley (Christina), Jessica Wright (Michael), Bradley Stewart, Bo Bradley, Rebekah Edwards (TJ), Easton Bradley, and Matthew and Macey Scott, as well as many cherished great-grandchildren whom he loved dearly: Landri, Layton, Ben, Blakely, Dylan, Ava, Elizabeth, Graham, Skylre, Coast, Tyler, Tucker, Lavender, and Aspen.
A visitation with the family will take place from 1:00 p.m. - 3:oo p.m., Thursday, January 29, 2026 at Joseph Earthman Generations, 234 Westcott Street in Houston, Texas.
A private burial will take place Friday morning at Houston National Cemetery and a public memorial service will take place Friday afternoon at Thrive Church in Fulshear at 1pm.
In honor of Butch's love of the Astros, the family is inviting everyone to wear Astros hats, flannel shirts, and jeans.
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