We celebrate the long and full life of our mom, grandma, sister, daughter, aunt, and cherished friend to so many near and far.

Joan Bradley nee Johnson was the third child of Cornelia and Langley Johnson, Sr. born April 3, 1928, in Jamaica, New York. Joan departed this life on May 25, 2024, at her residence in Alexandria, Virginia at the age of 96.

Joan is survived by her daughters Melissa, and Linda, daughter-in-law Allessandra, grandchildren Mackenzie and Madison, Kitu, Gabriella, Anthony-Oliver, Alleboo, nieces, nephews, and many beloved friends.

For 96 years Joan shared her wit, experience, wisdom, advice, story-telling, and unending love with so many. Joan loved people: meeting, exploring, and adventuring with people of all different ages, different cultures, and different walks of life. She was close friends with the doorman, vendors at the farmers market, and CEOs. She made everyone she met feel special.

As a firm believer in quality education, Joan fought to ensure her daughters and community had only the best! She worked two, and at times three, jobs to ensure that her children had the very best education, often sacrificing so that her daughters had the opportunity to excel. She often challenged the status quo and ensured equal opportunity for children of color.

Joan regularly shared her experiences of growing up in NY.  She would walk alongside horses and buggies, await the ice trucks, walk miles to school, and ride the bus on her brother Lang's route, whom she was always so proud of. She was humble about her role in advancing the rights of others and quietly shared stories about her participation in civil rights marches, standing with neighbors and Harlem celebrities.

Joan broke racial barriers to become the first woman of color teller at Jamaica Savings Bank in Jamaica, New York. Throughout her life, she spent time in banking, accounting, and the nonprofit sector.

She loved music, especially Jazz and Johnny Mathis. She was blessed to see Dizzy Gillespie, Lena Horne, and Nancy Wilson in concert many times. She would stroller walk Linda alongside Roy Campanella's wife. If you listened closely, you would hear her mention her encounters with a long list of Harlem Renaissance greats.

The thing that Joan cherished most in the world was her family. She dropped out of college to take care of her grandmother. She enjoyed annual trips to her favorite island, Aruba with family, celebrating the women her daughters are, and in later years the role she cherished most, becoming grandma to the joys of her life.

We encourage visitors to post their memories at https://www.lylesfuneralservice.net/gallery/joan-bradley.

A celebration of her amazing and full life is planned for Saturday, June 15, 2024, in Washington, DC. For more details, please send an email to mlb84@georgetown.edu and an invitation will be sent once finalized.