Bradley David Ouellette

Bradley David Ouellette 1939-2020 Bradley David Ouellette of Rochester, New Hampshire, died on May 23, 2020, of natural causes. He was 80 years old. He is survived by his children, Bradley, Jr., Pam Ouellette of Valley Center, CA, Meichelle (Jim) Benard of Missouri City, TX,  Lisa (Jeff) Anderson of Spring, TX; his daughters' mother, Angela, of Houston, TX; and David Brown of Los Angeles, CA; brothers Gary Ouellette of Olympia, WA and Larry Ouellette (Sarah) of Austin TX; his sister Gail Jones of South Windsor, CT;  sister in law Sally of Rochester, NH; numerous grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and many friends, including his tenants and caregivers, Debbie and Lloyd Cousins. We will all miss him and mourn his departure. He was predeceased by an older brother, George, and a younger brother, Omer. Brad was born in 1939 in the small northern New Hampshire village of Groveton, on a remote byway in a place still known as "Lost Nation." He was the third child of Omer and Marion Ouellette the middle child of 6, and the last to be born at home, thrust into the world, as were his older siblings, with the assistance of a midwife remembered as "Nurse Wheeler."  Brad was little more than a toddler when the homestead burned to the ground in the middle of winter and the family, seeking a better life, migrated to Quincy, MA. where the family filled out its size. Brad worked a variety of after school jobs, his first delivering newspapers, finished his formal education at Quincy High School and grew into young adulthood. Once again chasing opportunity, the Ouellette family  followed their father to Detroit, MI and Brad entered adulthood with a succession of jobs, including retail, glass installation and assembly line work in a city that was then the automotive capitol of the world and a major cultural center. After six years in the motor city the family returned to its New Hampshire roots and settled in Rochester, where Omer Sr. had accepted a position with the Davidson Rubber Company in nearby Dover. Several members of the family, including Brad, subsequently worked the production lines at both the Dover and Farmington plants. Brad once said that "sooner or later, everyone works at the brickyard," and sure enough, Brad did his turn at the Kane Gonic Brickyard, then located just past and down the hill from Gonic School. Brad was entrepreneurial of sorts and held many positions in many occupations throughout his working life. While employed as an apartment manager Brad was called to the scene of an apartment building engulfed in flame and twice entered the burning building to save trapped elderly residents. He was awarded a medal of honor by the City of Rochester for that feat of heroism. Brad launched and operated for several years a metal recycling operation out of the barn at the family home on Old Dover Rd., where metal was salvaged from rejected automotive interior parts and reused. In his later years Brad discovered a talent for painting. Entirely self-taught, Brad produced a series of remarkable paintings, including a stunning portrait of Willie Nelson; an iconic view of Leo's Diner, once located across the street from Dunkin Donuts in Rochester;  and "George's Luncheonette," based on a street scene in Manchester, NH. Other paintings depicted classic New Hampshire scenes like covered bridges, snow blanketed fields, skaters, barns, and mailboxes. He also created several bright, sunny, and complex urbanscapes reminiscent of more southern climes. Many of his paintings, including "Leo's Diner," the portrait of Willie Nelson,  won best of show at the Rochester Fair's annual art show. His paintings are now cherished by many friends and family members. Brad also raised and sold AKC registered Boxers. He loved his dogs and was a kind steward to several generations of puppies. He held a lifelong love of gardening, and his backyard was always bursting with color. Brad loved his children and as he aged, they came to be a great source of pride and comfort to him. He sent the best Christmas, birthday, and wedding cards, some of them hand painted. He is remembered as a great if occasionally off-color storyteller, a family historian. The younger generations remember speedy rides on the "roller coaster road" and a remarkable freezer in the garage somehow filled with Ding Dong cupcakes, which he freely shared. His death was peaceful and came at the close of a long period of declining health. At his request, a portion of his ashes will be scattered near a place of happy recollection. The remainder will be interred at the Pine Hill Cemetery in Rochester, NH., alongside his parents and older brother George. Plans for a memorial service are incomplete at this time.