Bradley P. Rendell

Bradley P. Rendell, 87, of 1444 Blockville-Watts Flats Road, Ashville, died at 6:40 a.m. Friday (Nov. 8, 2002) in his home.

A lifelong-area resident, he was born Sept. 12, 1915, in Jamestown, the son of George and Helena Bradley Rendell. He was a 1935 graduate of Falconer High School, a 1939 graduate of the State University at Alfred and returned to Alfred University in 1940 for post-graduate work.

He was a nationally recognized track competitor, selected to represent the United States in the 1940 Olympics in the steeplechase. He was never defeated in the United States, but was unable to compete in the Olympic Games in Finland, which was canceled because of the war.

Other honors included: All American in cross country, fourth fastest 2 miler in the United States, competing 17 times in Madison Square Garden in the late 1930s. He broke the high school boy Olympic record in the mile and had been clocked in the mile at 4 minutes, 17 seconds on cinder tracks in the 1930s. For decades, he held the Chautauqua County and Section VI record in the mile.

His athletic prowess earned induction into the Chautauqua County Sports Hall of Fame, Alfred University Athletic Hall of Fame and the Alfred State Athletic Hall of Fame.

He owned and operated a dairy farm in Watts Flats for many years, was co-owner of Chautauqua Perennial Gardens for 25 years and taught agriculture at Panama Central from 1945 to 1946. He was an elected a member of the Panama Central School Board from 1963 to 1970.

He was a member of the New York State Trappers Association and a life member of the National Trappers Association. An avid outdoorsman, hunter and trapper, he lead demonstrations and clinics throughout the country. The Ducks Unlimited trapping demonstration to children was an annual event that he cherished. He raised domestic silver foxes and bought and sold fur throughout the area.

He is survived by his wife, the former Doris Keefe, whom he married Sept. 12, 1942; two daughters: Marcia Faulkner and Kay Gould, both of Greenville, S.C.; four grandchildren: Susan Faulkner Evans of Greenville, Michael Faulkner of Baltimore, Md., Jeannine Mills of Citra, Fla., and F. Jesse Gould of Ashville; and a great-grandson. He was preceded in death by two brothers: Ellis Rendell and Eugene Dye. Burial will be in Grant Cemetery, Niobe.