Why I Give – Wilma Bradshaw

It’s fair to say that Wilma Bradshaw — and her late husband, Truman — turned one of their life’s great trials into an opportunity for ministry. Unable to have children, the couple was determined to make an impact for young people through volunteer work and generous giving. By establishing an estate plan with WatersEdge, Bradshaw is able to achieve her goals even after her passing.  

“While I was working to set up my plan, I was thinking, ‘What could I do for children?’” she says, noting that her husband had always felt similar inclinations.  

After Bradshaw’s passing, her estate will distribute gifts to several different charitable causes including missions work, her home church, and an endowed scholarship for students at Oklahoma Baptist Homes for Children. These ministries reflect varied interests and a profound generosity that’s ingrained in Bradshaw’s character. She’s an energetic woman who’s passionate about her faith and about giving back. 

The idea for an estate plan first came to Bradshaw during a tumultuous period of her life when both her husband and her mother-in-law passed away, but it lay dormant until she began traveling. Bradshaw wasn’t fond of flying, and this phobia got her thinking about the future. She wanted to have a plan in place when she dies, and she knew just whom to contact.  

“I didn’t think of anybody else,” she says. “When all this happened to me and I was left alone, I turned  to WatersEdge.”  

Sometime after Bradshaw had created the initial draft of her estate plan, WatersEdge made a presentation at her home church, demonstrating how she could prepare for the future and give to the causes she was passionate about. She was all in, and began the process of assigning charitable gifts through her plan — a process that was surprisingly painless.  

“It was easy, and it helped  me put things in order,” she says. “I would definitely recommend WatersEdge to anyone considering going through the estate planning process.” 

Today, at age 85, Bradshaw takes comfort in knowing she’s poised to make an eternal impact through her estate.  

“I’ve always wanted to help as many people as I could, and that’s my whole goal,” she says. “Now I know I’m making a difference.”