Opal Jean Shultz Bradshaw
Opal Jean Shultz Bradshaw, age 85, passed away on Tuesday, April 16, 2013 at her home near Cotopaxi, Colorado. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend who was a bookkeeper for many years.
Opal was born on July 26, 1927 in Roggens, Colorado, to the late David Morgan and Minnie Alforetta (Steenbergen) Shultz. She grew up on the Western Slope of Colorado, between Craig and Gunnison. Following the death of her father, Opal left school to help her mother care for the rest of the family. She worked as a maid and in the local restaurants of Gunnison.
She had only an 8th grade education, but was a mathematical genius. Opal worked for Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company (Mountain Bell) and the Town Talk Bakery in Colorado Springs in her younger years. She was the bookkeeper and payroll clerk for the Pettigrew Auction Company, Columbia Savings and First National Bank. While at First National Bank, Opal found a new job at the Pikes Peak YMCA, known now as the “Y” of the Pikes Peak Region. She served as Payroll Clerk until her retirement.
After her retirement, Jack and Opal flew their private airplane to many destinations. They also traveled in their conversion van to all of the Continental United States and Canada. They then decided that they wanted to build a dream home in the mountains of Colorado and they began to look for property. The location they chose was southwest of the Royal Gorge, on a hill top where they had a full view of the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range. Opal and Jack, together with their daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Jay, began building their mountain home in 1992. By late 1994, Opal and Jack were living in the mountains and had finished all the fine touches of their “Dream Home.” This beautiful home was where they both lived their remaining years. Mary fulfilled her parents’ wishes of being able to pass away there.
Opal was an amazing wife, mother and grandmother. As a wife, she stood by her man always, and became a private pilot herself so they could soar the skies together, flying all over the United States and Canada. She drove the spikes in the logs of their dream home and used the chain saw and log splitter to cut fire wood. They were always together, hand in hand, side by side.
As a mother, she was supportive at school serving as the PTA President as well as organizing school carnivals and track events. She spent countless hours supporting Colorado Springs School District 11. As a grandmother, she was very supportive of her grandkids’ school activities, even from afar.
She was always interested in their activities and kept up with reading news articles and following sporting events and parades.
Opal was preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband: Jack; her parents: David and Minnie Shultz; her brothers: Clyde and Dave Shultz; her sisters: Mary Ellen Shultz Arnett and Lorretta May Shultz Parrot. Opal is survived by her children: Mary Frances Bradshaw (husband, Jay) Hyde of Colorado Springs; Sunny (wife, Linda) Bradshaw of Booneville, Arkansas; Richard E. Bradshaw of Hawaii; and Bonnie Leah Pate (husband, John) Mathias of Dallas Texas.
She is also survived by her wonderful grandchildren: Jay Paul “PJ” Hyde and Hollie Marie Hyde of Colorado Springs; Brad (and wife, Dawson) Morgan; and her great grandchildren: Max and Emory Morgan.
Also surviving is her sister-in-law: Marylou Shultz and their children, Karen and Diane; her sister-in-law: Vivian Shultz and their children David and Valerie; and her nieces: Betty Jean (and husband, Galen) Smith of Fruita, Colorado and Joann (and husband, Richard) Tofflemeyer of Montrose, Colorado; and her nephew: Robert (and wife, Clorinda) Dines of Montrose, Colorado.
At Opal’s request, private family services were held. Entombment was at the Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum, with her beloved, Jack.
Memorials may be made to Fremont Regional Hospice, 1439 Main Street, Canon City, Colorado 81212. The family would like to express their gratitude to the Fremont Regional Hospice for their loving care and compassion during Opal’s transition time. A special “Thank you” to Carrie and Edith.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, He is beautiful and adored.