Emma Bradley

life story

Happiest when she was with other people, stylish, friendly, considerate and welcoming, this was our mother, Emma Bradley. Born in Minneapolis, MN, on September 7, 1933, to John and Hulda (Bjorklund) Brayley, the eldest of 3 girls. Emma graduated from Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis, then studied art at the Minneapolis School of Art (now MCAD). She attended their summer program at the Town Hall Art Colony in Grand Marais, MN, beginning in 1952, and in 1953 met the summer instructor whom she would marry in 1963, Byron Bradley. After graduation, Emma spent a year traveling abroad with her best friend from art school, then began the first part of her career at Reed Ray Films, eventually settling into the position of official calligrapher for the American Lutheran Church. She would spend hours in the attic studio of our house completing all the ordination certificates for the seminary graduates, as well as the layout and calligraphy for their annual Christmas book. For many years she also worked the front desk at the Minnesota Dance Theatre to help pay her daughter’s tuition at the school, and when it was discovered that she was an artist with incredible skills, she was drafted to do many of the posters for MDT’s performances in the 1970s.

In the early 1980s, Emma began her career in sales when she was hired by Williams Sonoma in downtown Minneapolis; a job she got because she was, as she became known, Ms. Perfect Writer. Seriously. The manager thought she was too old, and only hired her because she had never seen writing so beautiful. Well, that hire changed both Emma and downtown WS. Emma was the best salesperson they ever had, and was known around the country. Chefs from the best restaurants in the Twin Cities came to WS to get assistance from Emma, and in return they invited her to their restaurants. Emma always liked to cook and host gatherings (hamburgers on homemade buns with hand cut french fries cooked in peanut oil were a family and friend favorite on Saturday nights growing up), but being exposed to the food at these restaurants, and being able to get cooking goods at WS for half price, upped her cooking game exponentially. The cuisine in the Bradley household was second to none.

Emma and Byron also loved to attend the Guthrie and had season tickets, a habit they continued after they sold their Minneapolis home in 1999 and moved into the retirement home they built above the cabin on Lake Superior outside of Grand Marais. Emma’s love of theater and sewing led her to avail her services to the Grand Marais Playhouse, where she became costumer extraordinaire (a volunteer position) for the next 25 years. She absolutely LOVED her costuming duties, frequently doing that to the exclusion of all else, as Byron would attest. With the permanent move to Grand Marais, Emma had to say goodbye to Williams Sonoma, but she soon began a long tenure with The Attic Gift Shop, and when that closed, she went on to become the manager at the Blue Moose. When she quit gainful employment, she dove into being a volunteer for 1st and 2nd Thrift Store, one year almost single-handedly volunteering enough to get the Playhouse a $10,000 donation. Not only did she volunteer there, but she became a Master Gardener shortly after settling up north and donated all time related to those projects and served on the Grand Marais Garden Club. The expansive gardens bounded by rock that surround their home are a testament to Emma’s love of flowers and her boundless energy. Emma also loved to host 3 course dinners for friends over the 25 years in GM, and up until COVID hit, she relished her exercise and social time at our local YMCA.

Emma passed away in the early hours of March, 21, 2026, in her own home, in her own bed. Although dementia robbed her of all memory, she remained a cheerful, pleasant person up until the end. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Mary Ann Zimmer, and husband Byron M. Bradley. Survived by her daughters Saraphine Métis and Lydia Bradley (Seth Myles), and sister Lorna Kremer (Jack). A celebration of life is planned for Sunday, June 14, 2026, from 2-4pm, at the Grand Marais Art Colony in Grand Marais, MN.