San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
LOUISE ANN (LEONARD) BRADSHAW
- July 2, 2022
Louise Ann (Leonard) Bradshaw was born in Los Angeles, California, on October 11, 1934 to Alfred Sylvester and Agnes Theresa (Wallesch) Leonard. She passed away on July 2, 2022 in San Antonio, Texas, at the age of 87.
Lou attended Holy Family Catholic School in Glendale, California from first grade through high school, graduating in 1952. She then moved with her family to El Paso, Texas, and attended Texas Western College. In 1955, she met Cyrus Joe Bradshaw, a handsome young Army lieutenant, on a blind date, and subsequently married him on April 2, 1956. After a brief residence in Vicksburg, Mississippi, they moved to El Paso, Texas. The family moved to San Antonio in 1971. Lou stayed busy raising her five children, but also found time to indulge in her passions of church ministries, china painting, woodworking, genealogy, sewing, knitting, traveling, and gambling. She went back to school after her youngest child started high school and graduated
October 11, 1934
from St. Mary’s University with a bachelor’s degree in Theology. She worked in the administration office at St. Mary’s, and also in the administrative office of her parish church, St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church in San Antonio.
Parkinson’s Disease robbed Lou of her mobility, but didn’t stop her ability to be interested in the world around her. She was curious and outgoing until the end.
Lou was predeceased by her parents, her sister Mary Helen (Leonard) Day, her niece and goddaughter Kathleen Day Feisel, and her infant great-grandson, Oliver Huth Bradshaw. She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Cyrus Joe Bradshaw, her five children: Laura Bradshaw Yarbrough (husband Pat) of San Antonio, Paul Bradshaw (wife Karen) of Santa Cruz, California; Greg Bradshaw (wife Lisa) of Phoenix, Arizona; Donald Bradshaw (wife Beverly) of Boerne, and Leigh Ann Bradshaw Sopher (husband Mike) of San Antonio. She also leaves eight grandchildren: Kathleen Yarbrough McKane (husband Jon), Elizabeth Yarbrough, Jeremy Bradshaw (wife Lindsay), Kyle Bradshaw, Jason Bradshaw (wife Kristen), Alison Bradshaw Petersen (husband Daniel), Cade Bradshaw (fiancée Katie), and Laine Bradshaw. She loved her great-grandchildren Ari David, Kya McKane, Ezra McKane, Kona McKane, Peter Bradshaw, and was looking forward to welcoming another great-grandson in September.
The family would like to express its sincere thanks and appreciation to the staff and caregivers at Franklin Park Alamo Heights, Amada Senior Care, and Freedom Hospice who lovingly cared for Lou over the past several years, as well as Kindred Hospice and the ICU nurses at University Hospital who tended to Lou in her final hours.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 AM on Monday, July 11, at St. Mark the Evangelist
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to the Caring and Sharing Ministry at St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church, or a charity of your choice in Lou’s name.