Retired CMU geography professor had a passion for travel

Retired geography professor Joseph G. Bradac is remembered as a man who loved to travel.

“As a family, we had opportunity to travel a lot because we would visit places in the U.S. and other countries, too. My brother and I got a chance to see countries through his eyes,” said Bradac’s daughter and Rosebush resident Jane Hamilton.

Bradac, 94, of Mount Pleasant died Tuesday due to complications with a pancreatic disease.

He was a professor of Central Michigan University’s geography department from 1953 until his retirement in 1980.

“He accomplished a lot in his life,” Hamilton said.

His story

Born July 9, 1915, in Marmarth, N.D., he was the son of immigrants from what is now called the Czech Republic.

Hamilton said as a child, she enjoyed traveling in North Dakota.

“One of the places I enjoyed going to was a small town he was from (because) this was a totally different way of living we were used to,” she said. “As a child, it was like being at Disney World.”

Hamilton admired her father’s parents worked hard to provide a good life for her father, which he later picked up.

“He had a good old-fashioned work ethic and respect to go with it. He was always learning,” Hamilton said.

In 1937, Bradac graduated from Dickinson State University in Dickinson, N.D., and later attended Montana State College.

Time at CMU

Later in his career, Bradac created the first geography travel course.

Retired CMU geography professor and Mackinaw City resident Burton Nelson knew Bradac as a friendly man.

“I knew him for 42 years and taught with him years ago, and he loved to teach about Africa — that is what he enjoyed the most,” Nelson said.

One of Nelson’s fondest memories was Bradac inviting him and others to house parties.

“I remember going over there and having parties — he and his wife were very congenial,” Nelson said. “I just always looked up to him as a good teacher, always thinking of students first.”

Retired geography professor and Mount Pleasant resident John Grossa knew Bradac for 14 years and was a colleague of Bradac until he retired.

“His interest was always in agricultural geography and I found his interest and my interest corresponded quite a bit,” Grossa said.

Grossa said by their shared professional experiences, they learned from each other and Grossa enjoyed being around the department with him.

“He certainly was well thought of by both faculty and students,” he said.

Visitation will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Lux Funeral Home, 2300 Lincoln Road. The funeral will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Sacred Heart Parish, 302 S. Kinney Ave., with internment at Calvary Cemetery.