Bradley David Bulver, loving father, devoted husband, and loyal friend, passed away on March 22, 2024, at the age of 54, after bravely battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Brad’s journey through life was one of unwavering commitment, compassion, and joy.
Brad was born on August 16, 1969, in Albert Lea, Minnesota to Don and Cheryl Bulver. Growing up in Owatonna, Minnesota, Brad discovered his love for sports early on, excelling in football, basketball, baseball, and softball. Brad was happy to spend his days outdoors playing with many neighborhood children.
After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Social Studies from Mankato State University in 1992, Brad ventured to Aldine, Texas, where he began his teaching career at Shotwell Middle School. Returning to his roots in Minnesota, Brad joined Prior Lake High School in 1997, where he dedicated nearly 26 years of his life to teaching Special Education. He, along with former wife, Jennifer Wahl, welcomed Max into the world on July 5, 1999. Brad’s impact extended beyond the classroom as he coached various sports, including golf, basketball, volleyball, and track and field. He was committed to his students and athletes and wanted to see them succeed in life. He mentored many students into adulthood sharing his humor, positivity, and trust.
Brad met Leah Nelson in 2005 sharing one of their passions– athletics, as they played together on a recreational volleyball team. Brad and Leah married on March 24, 2007 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The couple welcomed two children, Mya on October 11, 2010 and Leo on August 9, 2014. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter, adventure, and many pets! Whether spending summers at their cabin in Wisconsin or embarking on the purchase of one of their multiple fixer-upper homes, Brad and Leah cherished their time together and were known for their playful banter as they loved to poke fun at one another.
Brad lived with purpose. He had a gift for making others feel seen and valued. Brad truly lived in the moment– whether it was sharing a joke with a friend, playing with his children, or chatting with a neighbor. His wide range of interests kept him active and connected to others throughout his life; he enjoyed coaching his children’s sports teams, golfing, snowmobiling, fishing, traveling, reading, doing puzzles, and playing games. The devastating diagnosis of ALS in August 2023 did not shatter Brad’s outlook on life. He continued to show his resilience and positivity as the disease progressed, calling the disease “inconvenient”. Though he may have left this world too soon, his spirit will forever shine brightly, inspiring others to live with purpose and compassion.
Brad is survived by wife, Leah; children Max, Mya, and Leo; parents, Don and Cheryl Bulver; sisters, Angie (Kevin) Malo and Elisa O’Malley; Leah’s parents, Simon and Mary Nelson; Leah’s brothers, Ben (Julie) Nelson and Joe (Annie) Nelson; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Brad is preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents and Leah’s sister, Anna (Nelson) Antonich.
A celebration of Brad’s life will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake at 3:00 PM, followed by a social hour at The Wilds Golf Club in Prior Lake. It will be an open house celebration– all are welcome.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the ALS Association in honor of Brad’s courageous battle against ALS or to Youth on Course, an organization that promotes accessibility to golf for young people.
