Doris Bradshaw

Doris Smith Bradshaw, 90, passed away on May 17, 2022 at The Pines of Mission assisted living facility in St. Ignatius Montana.  She was born on June 18, 1931 in Beaver, Utah to LeRoy Smith and Velva A. Wilson.  She grew up in Beaver, Utah where she later met and married Vernile (Vern) Bradshaw on Dec. 10, 1949.  They were later sealed for time and all eternity on Oct. 24, 1968 in the Cardston, Alberta temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

Doris was a talented seamstress who could sew just about anything.  She worked sewing commercial draperies for many years before she transitioned to being self-employed, sewing all manner of bags and soft luggage items, including backpacks, saddle bags, paniers, garment bags, etc..

She greatly enjoyed, as she described it, “Playing in the dirt”.  She loved to garden and spent countless hours planting and tending her many flower beds.  But if you asked her what her true passion was, she would invariably say, “Music.  Music is the love of my life.”

Doris and her husband Vern operated a family dairy farm in Beaver, Utah from the time they were married until they moved to Lolo, Montana early in 1960 where they purchased a ranch up Lolo Creek.  Just a few years later they sold that property and moved again to a new ranch in St. Ignatius in December 1963.

Doris is survived by her four children, Sandra (Ed) Schultz of Tucson, AZ, Lynette (Alan) Mikkelsen of St. Ignatius, MT, Kaylene (Randy) Melton, of Ronan, MT, and Wayne (Diane) Bradshaw of Eagle Mountain, UT.  Doris is also survived by her 11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren, and her brother Fred Smith and her sister, Jeanne Johnston.  She is preceded in death by her husband Vernile Bradshaw, her Brother Ralph Leroy Smith, and her granddaughter Jaci Schultz.

Per Doris’s wishes, only a graveside service will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday May 27, 2022 at the Pleasant View Cemetery just outside of St. Ignatius where she will be buried next to her husband, Vernile.