Maureen Johnston Bradford, 57, of Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania passed away peacefully at Jameson Memorial Hospital on Sunday,(10-2-11)following an extended illness.

A life long area resident, she was born on December 20, 1953 in New Castle the daughter of Robert and Florence Fee Johnston.

Maureen graduated from Neshanock High School in 1971 and matriculated to Youngstown State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Home Economics.

She was a teacher at Laurel High School for 25 years. In her retirement, she discovered a love of pottery.

Her husband Craig Bradford whom she married August 26, 1972, survives at the residence; Maureen is also survived by her parents of New Castle, her daughter, Lauren Bradford of Pittsburgh; her siblings, Darry Johnston and his wife Sherry, Elaine Palumbo and her husband Rick, and Marleen McQuiston and her husband Ed, all of New Castle; and many nieces and nephews.

Her family knew her as Mem, a complement to identical twin sister Marleen's nickname, Nen. Older sister Elaine lovingly gave these nicknames at a young age. Maureen will be remembered fondly with a smile on her face and a tennis racket in her hand.

Calling hours will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday (10-5-11) in the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory Inc. 111 W. Falls Street, New Castle.

A funeral service will be conducted on Thursday (10-6-11) at 11:00 a.m. in the funeral home chapel with Sister Barbara Ann Johnston, CSJ, officiating.

Condolences may be sent to her family by visiting the web site www.McGonigleFuneralHomeandCrematory.com

In lieu of flowers, Maureen wished for donations to be made to the Zelienople Public Library, 227 S. High Street, Zelienople, PA 16063.