Dorothy R Bradley

Dorothy was born in Toto Indiana to Raymond and Lola (Coldiron) Fletcher, the youngest of their four daughters. Her parents and her sisters Wynona Lovins, Helen Miller, and Cleo Webb preceded her in death, as did their half-brother Joseph. Immediately after graduating high school, Dorothy went to live and work in Chicago for a while, then in March 1962 Dorothy married Thurman Bradley when they were only 18 and 19 years old; they had a life-long marriage until Thurman’s death in 2023. “Shag and Dot” are survived by their two daughters and two sons-in-law: Chandra (Albert) Royce of Chesterton, Indiana and Corinne (Rod) Ingle of Beaufort, South Carolina. Their grandchildren are Devin Royce, Olivia (Aaron) Harris, Jeremy (Crystal) Hays, Savannah (Jonathan) Vance, and Morgan Hays. Their great-grandchildren are Rodney Hays, Sophia Vance, and Elijah Vance. She had “bonus grandkids” as well: Benjamin Faford and Taylor Faford. She had several affectionate names as a grandma, starting with Grom and evolving over the years to Nami and then Mimi. She doted on and lovingly spoiled her grandchildren and great grandchildren until her illness became severe; even then she loved seeing pictures and videos of her grandkids. Dorothy went to beauty school (as it was called then) and became a beautician and operated the Toto Beauty Salon as an independent business woman. She loved living in Toto and shopping for us all at the New Toto Stores and at Weinberg’s. They rented a little house on the corner of Range Road and Toto Road for many years until they built their dream home on Range Road in Toto. Later when her daughters were in high school, she trained in real estate and worked for McColly Realtors in Valparaiso where she made some good friends. Later she worked with Howard Realty in Knox, but eventually she discovered her calling was elsewhere. After moving to Valparaiso around 1989 she went to nursing school and graduated from Purdue University School of Nursing with an Associates of Science degree. She then worked as an RN in a pediatrics clinic followed by a local hospital. When her husband retired in 1998 they moved to North Carolina where they built a lovely home in the hills around Flat Rock, near Hendersonville. She worked as an RN in orthopedics at Pardee Hospital, as well as at a local assisted living facility. They lived very close to Corinne and her children when in North Carolina. Shag and Dot moved to Chesterton in 2019. Mom moved into The Residences of Coffee Creek in Memory Care in November 2021. She was happy at home there and quickly made a best friend who sat at her bedside the night before her passing. Dorothy often tried to help the nurses and other staff with some of the residents there. Once a nurse, always a nurse! She continued her lifelong love of music and dancing. Dorothy’s daughters remain very thankful for and appreciative of all the staff of RCC who cared for and loved our mom. Many of the staff came by to see her in her last days, to kiss her and cry for her, to share sweet memories with us, and to say their goodbyes. They’ll miss her clapping to music, telling them she loved them often, and just showing her joy of life. One of the ladies told us, “there will never be another like her” and we agree! Memorials may be made to either of the following churches in Dorothy's name: St. Elizabeth the New Martyr OCA, 545 W. Indiana Ave., Chesterton, Indiana 46304 or St. James OCA, PO Box 9 Tekoa Lane, Beaufort, SC 29902. Visitation will be from 10 AM to 12 Noon CT Monday, January 8, 2024 with the Funeral Services to be held at 12 Noon CT in the O'Donnell Funeral Home, Inc., North Judson, Indiana. Burial will be in the Round Lake Cemetery, Knox, Indiana.

Dorothy R Bradley

August 8, 1943 - January 4, 2024