Velma Bradley

Velma Bradley, 101, passed away peacefully at Brendan House nursing facility on May 13, 2015, ten days after her 101st birthday.

She was born on May 3, 1914, in Polson to Baptiste and Appolonia (Wilhelm) Couture. Velma’s father was an active musician, farmer and mill-right. Her mother died in her early 20s of tuberculosis when Velma was 3 and her sister, Eula, was 2. The girls lived with various relatives in several states during their early childhood, eventually moving to Kalispell to live with their aunt and uncle, Caroline and Louie Fry where Velma attended and graduated from Flathead County High School in 1932.

Velma’s favorite employment, of many various jobs while growing up as a young woman, was working for a dude ranch near Marion, where she enjoyed meeting the people and the horseback rides she was allowed to participate in when assisting with meals on day trips. Her most enjoyable and rewarding job, however, was being a homemaker for her husband and raising their four children as well as being the leader of various youth organizations.

When Velma was 22 she met her future husband, Elmo Bradley, while walking to work where she was employed as a switchboard operator at the telephone company in Kalispell and he was working at the Studebaker Garage as a bookkeeper. The couple double-dated with friends for nearly a year and in 1937 both couples went to Missoula to elope. Elmo and Velma raised four children together: Joan, Diane, David and Janis.

Velma was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Elmo, her sister Eula Schumacher and her son-in-law Tom Barton.

She is survived by her four children, Joan Stahlberg and husband Bryan, of Columbia Falls, daughter Diane Pelech and husband Frank, of Kalispell, son David Bradley, of Missoula, and Janis Marshall and husband Bryan, of Bradenton, Florida; seven grandchildren, Bradley Barton and wife Laurie, of Boise, Idaho, Barbara Kiger and husband Jerry, of Sparks, Nev., Beverly Wellman and husband Todd, of Henderson, Nev., Mia Wolf and husband Shawn, of Port Orchard, Wash., Shawn Bradley and wife Julie, of Missoula, Aaron Vandelaar and wife Carol, of Anchorage, and Valee Stahlberg, of Brentwood, Tenn.; 10 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.

Viewing will take place at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home on Thursday, May 21, 2015, from noon to 6 p.m. Velma’s service will be held at the Central Christian Church, 240 Second Avenue East, in Kalispell on Friday, May 22, 2015, at 1 p.m.