Lorraine Bradford Kelley

Lorraine Bradford Kelley died peacefully in the early morning of August 10, 2020, on the 16th anniversary of marriage to her wonderful husband, David E. Kelley. In addition to Dave, Lorraine is survived by her beloved children Chad (Tira) Gravallese, Aaron (Melissa) Gravallese, Tara (Anthony) Draper, and Eva Gravallese; step-children Kathryn (Troy) Smith, Bryan Kelley, and Marissa Kelley; grandchildren Oliver and Emmett Gravallese, Sadie Smith and Avalyn Kelley; brothers Stephen (Jane) and Scott (Sharon) Bradford; and mother Mary Lythgoe Bradford. Lorraine’s father, Charles, predeceased her in 1991 and has no doubt received her into his loving embrace. For the last 16 years, Lorraine has joyfully celebrated her marriage to Dave, nurtured and loved her children into adulthood, and adored and mentored her more recently arrived grandchildren. She did all this while keeping her 2003 breast cancer diagnosis at bay through faith and medical treatment that allowed her to dance and jump and laugh with friends and family right up until the month before her death. A highlight for Lorraine occurred on November 7, 2017, when she sealed her marriage to Dave for time and all eternity in the Washington D.C. temple in the presence of family and dear church friends. Lorraine was born on March 29, 1961 in Washington, D.C. She graduated in 1979 from Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, where she lettered in gymnastics. She studied at Brigham Young University and graduated in humanities from the University of Maryland, after which she received her M.A. in modern dance from the University of California, Irvine. She also served as a full-time missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines Cebu mission. Lorraine was married to Marc Gravallese during the years in which they welcomed Chad, Aaron, Tara and Eva into the world, and she has always appreciated Marc’s strong love for and devotion to their children. Socially, spiritually and physically energetic her entire life, Lorraine easily made and maintained scores of diverse friends wherever she lived and worked, attributable in large part to her unconditionally loving acceptance and enjoyment of other people, no matter how similar or different from her. Lorraine’s daughter, Tara Draper, best captured Lorraine’s essence in this Facebook post the day Lorraine took flight: “Heaven gained a beautiful angel today. My mom was the strongest person I know. She had fought a tough war with cancer. She loved all her kids: blood, adopted and step with the deepest of love. She was a loving, kind soul who cared for everyone she met. Her strong passion for dance and doing what you love has been motivation in my life to do what I love. Words can’t describe how sad I am to not have her here anymore but I am so glad to know she is with our friends and family who are in heaven, and not in pain anymore. Rest in peace mom, I love you with all my heart.” A memorial service celebrating Lorraine’s life is scheduled for Saturday, August 15th at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. Friends and family are welcome to join the service live or later via recording here: Facebook Event Page. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lorraine’s honor may be made here: Latter-day Saint Charities (Humanitarian Services) or simply send flowers and/or a kind note to someone you love (or don’t love!). And to best remember Lorraine going forward, her friend Jill Harrison suggests we all “dance with abandon, wear purple unabashedly, and above all, love unconditionally.”

Lorraine Bradford Kelley

March 29, 1961 - August 10, 2020