Over the final week of last semester, the Sahuaro community lost a member of our Cougar family, Ms. Lynn Bradley.  Outside of teaching, Ms. Bradley’s hobbies included knitting, crocheting, and reading. As a young girl, her father taught her how to trapshoot, a sport she loved.  She became a lady trapshooter in the U.S. in 1982, meaning she was the best female trapshooter in the U.S. that year. Dedicated to making Sahuaro a brighter place and inspiring students with STEM, Ms. Bradley had a passion for teaching that supported students’ STEM education. In a previous Paper Cut article, Ms. Bradley shared, “When I see that light bulb go on and a student says, ‘I GET IT!’- that’s the moment I live for.” 

Ms. Bradley’s daughter, MarkiLynn, wanted everyone to know that,“…she wouldn’t want any of her students to grieve too hard or for too long. She would want them to live their lives to the fullest.” Ms. Bradley started her career in nursing as an RN. She loved working in the ER and found her love for teaching when she discovered PMI (Pima Medical Institute) and decided teaching science in high school was the next best thing.  MarkiLynn shared that her mom “…loved all of her students and her friends very much. Teaching and the medical field was her whole life.” 

She earned her associate degree from Blackhawk College and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Master’s in Nursing from the University of Phoenix. She worked as a Family Nurse Practitioner, but after some time she said, “I loved it, but got tired and wanted to try something different.” This decision led her to teaching, a job where she dedicated herself to caring for and educating students in STEM.

Ms. Bradley’s love for science and interest in sparking a passion for STEM didn’t go unnoticed within the science department. Department chair Ms. Mooney said, “I will always remember Lynn’s passion for science and her dedication to her students. She was always here early every morning. She had a profound impact on many young minds. She was an inspiration to us all, and her presence will be sorely missed in our department. Lynn was a kind soul who had lots of life stories to share.”

Mr. Lopez also credited her creativity saying, “Lynn used to visit some mornings with new ideas of ways to make our STEM class more engaging and exciting for students. She was always looking for new ways to excite students about the topics that were being presented, whether it was making their own board games, understanding the science behind cooking, or competing to memorize the most digits in Pi. Lynn was always thinking outside of the box, and she brought a unique perspective to our department and Sahuaro High School that will definitely be missed!” 

She lived a storied life and didn’t hesitate to share these stories with her coworkers. Mrs. Trujillo said, “Lynn was such a fun person to have in the department. I am going to miss her stories about her career as a nurse. I am also going to miss hearing about all of the unique projects she did in her class!” Mr. Barany said, “Lynn Bradly was a caring soul with a passion for education and the desire to help students think for themselves. She worked tirelessly to design and implement meaningful experiences for her students that reflected the real world and its challenges. She did a wonderful job of rounding out the diverse personalities of our department and often brought levity from her stories of past places and occupations.” 

Ms. Bradley carpooled, and through this, she became friends with some of the Sahuaro staff. Mr. Hemmo, Sahuaro’s guitar teacher said, “I would carpool with Ms. Bradley and I have fond memories of our discussions of how to improve student learning and the real-world applications of the material we teach. She will be missed by many but hopefully, her lessons will live on in those who learned them.” Paxton, Sahuaro’s Field Technician said, “I got to know Lynn from driving her home in the afternoons. She and I talked a lot about various things. While I did not have the opportunity to see her in action in the classroom, I know that she really wanted to generate student interest in science as that was what she loved.” 

Former Sahuaro English teacher Sonia Riechert, and good friend of Ms. Bradley said, “I will remember Lynn Bradley as a helpful mentor and supportive friend. When I first met Lynn, she helped me understand the nuances of teaching and conquer the learning necessary to improve. She offered helpful hints and tips for me to try in my classroom. Her help was invaluable for a brand-new teacher. We would have lunch together and bounce ideas around for ways to help students learn. Lynn worked incessantly to shape her lessons in ways that would offer students hands-on opportunities to better understand the subject matter. Her ideas for project-based learning were intriguing and useful, and Lynn was thoughtful about what worked in a lesson and what might need to be improved for next time. We would each share ideas we came across that might be helpful for our teaching. Even now, I find interesting articles that I know she would love to read, and I wish she were still there, so I could click send. Thank you for your friendship, Lynn. You will be missed.” 

Senior Montana Poe never had her as a teacher, but still experienced her kindness and said, “Ms. Bradley has always been very nice to me. She caught me in the hall one time crying after my dad passed away, and she soothed me and talked to me and ever since then, she would just talk to me in the hallways if I passed by her.”

Principal Estrella said, “She was a joy to engage with on any topic and showed extraordinary dedication to both her family and our school.” Students and teachers shared their memories and condolences as they learned the news of her passing and the sad news was shared amongst the student body. 

On behalf of the Sahuaro community, we send our condolences to Ms. Bradley’s daughter and three grandchildren, her loved ones, and students and staff who were touched by Ms. Bradley’s passion, wisdom, and kind spirit. Sahuaro will miss her presence on campus and in the science hallway.