Bill D. Bradshaw

Bill Darvin Bradshaw, longtime Abilene educator and church leader, went to meet his Savior face to face Friday, April 12, 2019 after a lengthy illness. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 17, at the First Baptist Church sanctuary with Dr. Phil Christopher officiating. Family visitation will follow the service at the church. Burial with full military honors will be earlier in Elmwood Memorial Park directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene. Bill was born on July 12, 1930, to W.C. and Stella Self Bradshaw on a farm near Wingate, Texas. The family later farmed in Dawson County. After attending rural schools he graduated from Tahoka High School. He attended Wayland Baptist College for two years before being drafted into the Army. He served in combat in Korea for 18 months of his two years in the Army and was in charge of radio operations. It was at Wayland that he met his future wife, Christine Moore. Upon his return from Korea they married in Plainview and have been married 65 years. They moved to Abilene and he completed his education at Hardin-Simmons University, earning a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master's in Education. During his 31-year career with the Abilene ISD beginning in 1956, he was a sixth grade teacher before being promoted to principal, a position Bill held for many years before his retirement. An untiring advocate for classroom teachers, he served as president of the Abilene Classroom Teachers Association, Taylor County CTA and as State Vice President of the Texas CTA. Bill also served on boards of the United Way and Boys Ranch. He was a member of First Baptist Church for 64 years, serving in virtually every capacity as a lay leader-deacon, chairman of the budget and finance committees, pastor search committee, building and grounds committee. He also taught Sunday School and Training Union classes for high school and college students, as well as being a Royal Ambassadors director, continuing to shape young lives as he had done in the AISD. After his retirement from AISD he worked in real estate for six years, then was bookkeeper for his wife's dress shop until 2008. Bill enjoyed his time on Possum Kingdom Lake and West Lake Chapel fellowship there. His breakfast club of 39 years and coffee buddies were the highlight of many years of love and friends which were the driving force of his life. Bill was preceded in death by 2 sons, infant son Michael, and Greg in 2016; sisters Patsy Harris, Jackie Holder, Mildred Polk; brothers Clifford, Floyd, Barney and Hubert, as well as his parents. He is survived by his loving wife Chris; daughter, Brenda (Cliff) Whisenhunt of Dallas; daughter-in-law, Mendie Bradshaw Hall of Abilene; grandchildren, Austin Whisenhunt (Brooke) and Anna Whisenhunt, Amber (Steven) Sanders, and Dr. Jourdan Bradshaw Gard (Kevin); two great-grandchildren, Brady and Briley Sanders; and special nieces and nephews, Donna Hainline, Virginia Sue McDole, Candi Crandell, DiAnne Cannan (Bill), Peggy Morton, Case McDole, Kevin McDole, and Steve Vandiver. The family would like to give special thanks to the compassionate employees of Kindred Health Care and Hendrick Hospice Care, as well as Cecilia Rodriguez, and all the ongoing loving support of friends and family. Memorial contributions may be made to Hendrick Hospice Care, 1651 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601; First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 85, Abilene, TX 79604, or a charity of the donor's choice.