Warren R. Bradburn

Warren R. Bradburn passed away December 29, 2011, at the age of 83. He was born December 26, 1928, in Cincinnati, Ohio, to Ralph and Mary Belle (Wilkinson) Bradburn. In 1947, he graduated from Duluth Central High School, Duluth, Minnesota, where he was a football and basketball star. He married the love of his life, Vivian, in 1949. She passed away in 2007. They would eventually settle in Plymouth, Michigan. Warren was the owner/operator of Air-Tite Inc., which was an insulation contracting company. At one time Air-Tite was the largest company of its type in the state of Michigan. He was also a Real Estate investor having owned many properties in Plymouth, Ann Arbor, and in Arizona. Warren also owned insulating companies in Freeland, MI, and in Arizona. He served on the Owens-Corning Board of Contractors - one of only ten on the board covering the entire United States. Warren was a former member of the Plymouth Rotary Club in which he was very active. He was the past chairman of the Rotary Fall Festival Chicken Barbeque, and he also founded the Rotary Dry Run Golf Outing. He was a proud Rotarian, having been recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. Warren was a member of the Plymouth Round Table. He was a huge University of Michigan Football fan and supporter. He was a member of the U of M Victors Club. He once took his entire family to see U of M play at the Rose Bowl Game. Among his many interests was boating, especially on the Great Lakes. He was an avid boater having visited all of the Great Lakes, with the exception of Lake Superior. He was a past member of the Detroit Yacht Club. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family. Warren will always be remembered for being a man of great integrity and honesty. As he would say, if you are in a business deal and anyone gets cheated, make sure it is me and not the customer.
Warren is survived by his children, Beverly (Philip) Venables, Peggy (Michael) Akrigg, Terri (Douglas) Young, Richard (Polly) Bradburn and Beth Ann (Michael) Murphy; 14 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren; and his brothers, James (Marlys) Bradburn and Charles (Carol) Bradburn. He is preceded in death by his sister, Jane Carey. Also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services will take place Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 10:30AM at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 47650 N. Territorial Rd., Plymouth. Friends may visit at the Schrader-Howell Funeral Home, 280 S. Main St., Plymouth, Monday 3-8PM and Tuesday at church 10AM until time of service. A prayer service will take place Monday evening at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to the Alzheimers Association http://www.alz.org/ or to SouthernCare Hospice, 437 Fern Ave., Suite B, Jackson, MI 49202.