Obituary of Harry Bradshaw

Harry Wood Bradshaw of Roanoke passed away Saturday, November 12, 2016. He was preceded in death by four sisters, seven brothers and his parents, Joseph and Lucille Pardom Bradshaw. Harry's great passion when he was five years old was to fly airplanes. He enlisted in the U S Army in October 1953 and became a Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne. After serving two years in the Army he was honorably discharged and moved back to Crothersville, Indiana. On December 2, 1955 he married Wanda Jewel Peyton and started taking flying lessons on the G I Bill in 1956. After many many hours of study and lots of coffee he earned all of his ratings and started working as a flight instructor for Central American Airways in Augusta , Georgia. In 1962 he moved to Roanoke to fly as a private pilot for Roanoke Woodworking and in 1965 he was blessed to be hired by Piedmont Airlines. He always loved his job with Piedmont and retired as a Captain of the Boeing 727 in 1989. While flying for Piedmont he was loaned to Norfolk and Western Railway for five years which was a wonderful experience. Harry was a member of CommUnity Church in Salem and loved all of his church family. He was also a member of the Gideon's International and the Quiet Birdmen of America. He spent his retirement years enjoying his grandchildren and great grandchildren and will be greatly missed by all of them as well as his wife, children and many friends and acquaintances. Surviving are his wife of 61 years, Wanda Peyton Bradshaw; children, LeAnna (Mike) Stern, Joe Peyton (Angie) Bradshaw, and Robert Carlton Bradshaw; grandchildren, James Adam Stern, Jessica (Neal) Martin, Brooke Ashlee' Bradshaw and Joe Peyton Bradshaw, II; great grandchildren, Austan, Aaron and Ayden Stern, Ava Grace and Easton Martin; brother, Jack O'Brien Bradshaw of Columbus, Indiana; and a number of nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Dr. Marc Currie, Dr. Nelson Green, the staff of Good Samaritan Hospice, and Angela Bradshaw for Harry's excellent care. Funeral services will be conducted 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at Simpson Funeral Home 5160 Peters Creek Road by Pastors Tom McCracken and Dan Carawan. Interment will follow in Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Tuesday at Simpson Funeral Home. 366-0707