Bradley Russell

Bradley Keith Russell ("Brad", "Bradley"), 41, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at St. Thomas Midtown hospital in Nashville, TN, following a quiet three-year battle with cancer. He was born September 12, 1976, in West Memphis, AR. After graduating from Marion High School in Marion, AR, he attended the University of Memphis and the University of Tennessee at Martin. He met Peter McDowell, who would become his life partner, in Memphis, TN, on July 12, 1999. They soon relocated to Nashville, TN, where Bradley expanded his career in catering and events management. In 2004, he received his Advanced Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management degree from Le Cordon Bleu in Chicago, IL. While Bradley applied his classic French culinary training at home, he also called on it extensively throughout his career in the Nashville area. Following catering and events management roles at Provence Breads, the Hermitage Hotel, Fontanel and Chef's Market, Bradley most recently served as Catering and Events Manager at The Clean Plate Club, where he took great pride in providing clients with exceptional food and memorable experiences.When not focusing on creative food and event details, Bradley enjoyed renovating and decorating older homes, and spending time with his cats and dogs. Favorite pastimes with Peter included walking historic neighborhoods, designing his new kitchen (currently under construction), and offering his opinions on current events.He was truly beloved by family, friends, business associates and clients alike.Bradley is survived by his life partner, Peter McDowell of Nashville, TN; his parents, Maureen (Taylor) and Charles Rumble of Rogers, AR; his aunt, Cheryl Taylor, and her husband, Brian Taylor, of Proctor, AR; his brother, Michael Russell of Rogers, AR; his mother-in-law, Mary Kay (Stiles) McDowell, of Oxford, MS; his sister-in-law, Linda (McDowell) Davis, and her husband, Jeff Davis, of Doylestown, PA; and his niece and his nephew in Doylestown, PA.He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Lois and William (Sonny) Taylor; great-grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Taylor, Sr.; his great aunt Betty Kelly; and his father-in-law, Les McDowell; as well as his much-loved puppy, Buckley.Celebrations of Life will be held 2-4 pm on December 2, 2017, at the Roller-Citizens Funeral Home in West Memphis, AR, and 4-7 pm on December 11, 2017, at the Cumberland River Compact (Bridge Building) in downtown Nashville, TN ( cumberlandrivercompact.org/directions ).Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN ( stjude.org/donate ); the Human Rights Campaign ( hrc.org/support ); or former employer Nashville CARES in Nashville, TN ( nashvillecares.org/donate ).