Brad Batchelder
 

I just learned that Brad has passed away. I know he was going in for surgery on his leg but I don't know any of the particulars. Please send your prayers to his family in this difficult time.

I talked to Parker today and learned this too. Parker wanted to make the announcement here so he could inform us about Brad and explain the process he would be making to continue on with Brad's work. I expect to hear more from Parker here on our forum in the near future.

To say the least, I was shocked to learn of Brad’s passing today. I have done business with Brad for some time now and he has been a main stay in the Parker community. We talked about several Parker projects over the years and he answered many of my questions about how some of the more mysterious processes were accomplished in his trade. He was a true gentleman and one of the most knowledgeable men in our Parker community. His passing is a great loss to all of us. I want to express my deepest sympathies to his friends and family. He will be missed.

Wow that is sad news. What a loss. My sympathies and blessings to the family.

Very sad news.Bobby

I'm saddened to hear this. We've lost a valuable resource. RIP Brad.

What a great guy. He will be missed. Thoughts and prayers are with the Bachelder family.

Horrible news ,my thoughts go out to the Batchelder family

Wow, I just talked to him.. So sad. RIP.

Very shocking.He was a master craftsman and a fine gentleman.

This is terrible.... Condolences to the Batchelder family. So very sorry to hear of this Brad was a great guy and a fine gunsmith

Terrible to hear. He will be missed.

Brad
 

I am very shocked and extremely saddened to hear this news. I have spoke with him many times on the phone ..in fact just recently and am so sorry that I will never have the chance to meet him face to face. He was always respectful to me with his calm demeanor. I am so sorry for Lori and Parker and company. My sincere and heartfelt condolences.

We are diminished.

Such sad news. My condolences to Parker and Lori.

May Brad rest in peace and his family find comfort through this difficult time. About 10 years ago I worked for Brad while I was in college. I grew up in a third generation gun shop in Northern Michigan so for me working at their shop was like being at home. Brad, Lori and his oldest son Carson were always good to me and I will forever cherish the time I spent there.

So sad to hear of Brad's passing. A fine craftsman and gentleman. Condolences to the Bachelder family and employees.

Very unexpected!...sad news indeed. We must continue to support Brads family and business. I have a Grade 2 top lever hammer gun that Brad did a full restoration on about 3 years ago. It is a master piece of workmanship, superb color case, wood and metal! He will be missed! Kenny Graft, SXS Ohio

Wow..... very sad to hear.. my condolences to the family...

That is shocking, it's so much more difficult when a passing is unexpected. I'm truly sorry to the family and his friends at the business.

Oh, no. Horrible news to hear. What a terrific guy, personally and professionally.

Very sad news. He was a great guy and a gentleman. I have a Parker he restored completely back to new that now has even more value to me. I feel bad for his kids. Losing a parent is one of the hardest things to deal with. God bless the Bachelders!

That is awful news

Shocked is all I can say. Prayers for Lori and Parker. Going to be sorely missed

Sadly, another giant of the double gun world leaves the stage.

Thus, I reluctantly turn to the great William Shakespeare:

"Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more." - MacBeth

Fortunately, Brad's work and reputation will live on.

I met Brad just a few years back. Not a finer gentleman have I shook hands with. He gave my brother and I a tour of the facility and answered every greenhorn question we had. He let me hold some of the higher end Parkers, as he knew I will probably never own one. He helped me get on my path to Parkers. I'm just heart broken to hear this news. The Bachelder family has my heart today...

I met Brad at the NRA Museum several years ago when he agreed to take on my projects. I'm sorry that we never got going on them since I had other irons in the fire at the time and they were far from finished. I am looking forward to meeting Parker when he gets grounded. So sorry. Bill Murphy

So sorry to hear of Brad's passing. On a number of occasions at annual meetings and at the Southern Side by Side he always took time to say hello and visit for a
few minutes. He was a real friend to the PGCA and more than once donated time and services on PGCA Raffle guns to make them more appealing.
My prayers and thoughts are with Parker, Lori and the entire Bachelder family.
Brad, your legacy will live on in every Parker you have touched for generations to come.

This is sad news. I spoke to Brad about a restoration project. Had a great conversation, and took away a very positive feeling for having him do my project.
The fine gun community has just taken a huge hit!
God's Speed, Brad.

I got the news this morning as I drove up to Traverse City with a friend and he asked should we stop by Grand Rapids on our way down and see Brad and Lori and I said no I don't think so as I had just talked to Brad a few days ago. As I was saying that I was checking my email and saw an email from a friend that told me Brad had passed..... I was stunned. Not sure what to say except we all lost a friend and not just because he restored our Parkers but because he would do anything that he could for you and you could see and feel the love he had for doing his craft and preserving history.
My prayers to Lori and Parker and the rest of the family.

The first time I met Brad was at an early Yooper shoot at Sagola. I was parked next to his big rig and I had inadvertently turned on my dome light, unknown to me it was on all day and drained the battery down to the point that it wouldn't start my Explorer. Fortunately for me, Brad had a set of jumper cables and cheerfully gave me a jump. It was then, that I learned of his easy going good nature. He was a gentleman, in the truest sense of the term.

This now is very sad news to learn of his passing. My sincere condolences to his family.

Very Sorry to hear of Brad's passing ,it is a Sad Day Indeed ! Just spoke to Brad a couple of weeks ago before the purchase of an LC Smith Shotgun and his opinion of what was needed and about reblueing the barrels once the purchase was finalized ! He was always so generous with his time even to Folks which he had never met in person ! My Condolences to Brad's Family ,You will all be in our Prayers !

Condolences to Brads family. Rest in peace Brad.

I'm very sorry to hear of Brad's passing. We have had many dealings over the years and I always loved talking with him. Though we never had the chance to meet personally, I feel like I've lost a good friend!!


My heart reaches out to his family!!

God Speed Brad-You will be missed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So sorry to hear the news about Brad. Just a couple weeks ago I got my 16 O frame back from him..Condolences to Lori and family..He will be missed....

It's very hard to know what to say when someone is taken from us like this. For the past 6-7 years we've made a summer pilgrimage to visit with Brad and Lori (and their labs) bringing him projects and picking up the previous year's work. He always lingered to talk, show me something unique, and commiserate with me about the state of things gun related. My safe is filled with guns he worked on for me, from full restorations to minor tweaks -- all a testament to how fine a craftsman he was. But all that pales to the kind of man I came to know him to be.

If the PGCA does something in tribute to Brad, and we should (although I'm too stunned and saddened right now to think clearly about it), count me in.

How about a .."Brad Bachelder Award"...to commemorate something that all of us in the Parker world could relate to. Maybe given yearly ???...

Stay tuned on the PGCA itself doing something. . .

If individual members wish to do something as well, Brad's obituary suggests a contribution to Hunt of a Lifetime which arranges hunts for ill youths. If you go on the links section of our website, you can find Hunt of a Lifetime there. There is a link for online donations and an address for a check.

The obituary also has a place to leave an online note which I have done as have several other members

When I saw this last night, I was shocked like everyone else. I first talked to Brad around a year and a half ago about working on a Parker for me. After that positive experience, I sent him 4 more Parkers over that time. For someone like me relatively new to Parkers he always took time to explain things to me on the phone.

On one lifter, I had messed up the lock plate screw and he said he would fix it(which he did) and offered to send me the right screwdriver tip so I didn’t do it again. Instead, I ordered a nice set per his recommendation. I think that speaks to his character and his willingness to teach people who were new to hobby. I felt I was always learning something from him every time we talked about a project.

I will miss him and my heart goes out to his family during this difficult time.

Brad was a true craftsman. I am fortunate to have a Fox that he worked on. Prayers for Lori and the family. Brad will be missed.