Bradford J. Gorham ’57

Bradford J. Gorham ’57 passed away at his home in Chester, Vermont, on October 19, 2015. Brad retired to Chester after a long career in the Providence, Rhode Island, area. Brad was born and raised in Providence and came to Dartmouth from Hope High School. At Dartmouth he was a geology major and belonged to Alpha Delta Phi, the Dartmouth Outing Club and NROTC. After serving on active duty as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, Brad earned his law degree from Harvard in 1964. According to the obituary in his local newspaper, Brad was a “gentleman farmer” lawyer, probate judge, state representative and state senator. He was Rhode Island’s Republican legislative leader and served as Republican state chairman. He was a member of the Rhode Island Bar and practiced law for more than 50 years. A Mayflower descendant, Brad was president of the Pilgrim John Howard Society of Plymouth, Massachusetts. He wrote and published a book titled John and Elizabeth Howard on the Kennebec. Finally, he built and sailed the Elizabeth Tilley shallop from Plymouth to Augusta, Maine, along the same route taken by John Howard in 1625. Brad was active in the Foster Lions’ Club, Moosup Valley Grange, Rhode Island Vermont Society of Colonial Wars, Ionic Lodge No. 28 and the Howard Foundation. He enjoyed spending time with his family at its beach house in Rhode Island and farm in Vermont. Brad is survived by his wife, Christine, five children and 15 grandchildren.