Remembering … Richard Bradley D.D.S.

Funeral services will be held in Lincoln today for Richard Bradley, D.D.S., former dean of the UNMC College of Dentistry who helped merge the college with the medical center.

The services will be held at 2 p.m. at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, 1200 S. 40th St., in Lincoln.

Richard Bradley, D.D.S.

Dr. Bradley — who died Sunday at 86 — was the fifth dean of the College of Dentistry from 1968 to 1980 and oversaw the transition of the college when it merged with UNMC. The college, which sits at 40th and Holdrege streets in Lincoln, was once a part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

A graduate of the College of Dentistry Dr. Bradley joined the faculty in 1959 and founded the periodontics program there in 1962.

“Dr. Bradley was a wonderful personal friend, colleague and mentor,” said John Reinhardt, D.D.S., dean of the College of Dentistry. “His exceptional leadership was valued not only at our college, but also in national dental professional organizations over which he presided.”

Dr. Bradley had a thoughtful and caring manner in dealing with everyone he met and the students, faculty, staff and alumni will miss him deeply, Dr. Reinhardt said.

A strong advocate for the College of Dentistry, Dr. Bradley and his late wife, Doris, were longtime trustees with the University of Nebraska Foundation. He also was actively involved with the current Campaign for Nebraska initiative, focusing his efforts on raising funds for the dental college.

“Anything he could personally do to encourage alumni to support the dental college, he eagerly stepped up to do it,” said Susan Norby, a development director with the NU Foundation. “This is a big loss.”