Joan Aimee Kadler

Joan Aimee Kadler (Bradshaw, nee Rouquette), 96, Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, died on January 2, 2025. Joan was born in Amesbury, England, in 1928. As a child, she lived in England and Egypt (her father, Colonel H. R. H. Rouquette, a career British military officer, served in both world wars). In the 1950s, Joan served in the British Foreign Service in the Dominican Republic, Yugoslavia, and Brazil, where she met Michigander James (Stan) Stanford Bradshaw, a journalist for the Associated Press. They married in December 1953 in Rio de Janeiro. In 1955, the couple – with infant daughter Nancy – moved from Brazil to Washington, D.C. Daughters Gillian and Laura, and son, Alan, were born in the D.C. area. In 1965, the family moved to Santiago, Chile; in 1967 they moved to East Lansing, Michigan; and settled in Mt. Pleasant in 1972. Stan taught journalism at Central Michigan University, and Joan worked in CMU's Marketing department, where her warm personality and gentle English accent were much admired. In 1977-78, the family lived in Kingston, Jamaica (Stan had a Fulbright fellowship there); in 1985-86, Joan and Stan lived in Xiamen, China (another Fulbright). In both countries, Joan volunteered: for a literacy program in Kingston; teaching English in China. Stan died in 1990. Joan retired from CMU after Stan's death, but continued her volunteer work, giving her time and talents to the John Goodrow Fund (St. John's Episcopal Church), and teaching English to family members of some of CMU's foreign students.

In 2002, Joan married Eric Kadler, a retired professor of language at CMU. The couple travelled extensively in the U.S. and overseas. Their excursions included boat trips on the Rhine and the Volga. Eric died in 2006. Joan was an active member of St. John's Episcopal Church for over 50 years.

She is survived by her brother, Robert Rouquette (Salisbury, England); Nancy and David Hemmingson (Mt. Pleasant); Gillian and Robin Ball (Coventry, England); Laura Bradshaw-Tucker and Art Tucker (Rochester Hills) and Alan Bradshaw and Desirae Foston (New York), 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at St. John's. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m., with the service to follow in the church at 3. Refreshments will be provided after the service in the church's fellowship room.

To sign the online guest book or leave a condolence for the family please visit www.CharlesRLux.com.