Mary “Lou” Bradford Shoaf

August 19, 1927 - August 17, 2021

Residence: The Sequoias, Portola Valley, CA

Lou was born in Palo Alto, CA, but spent part of her childhood in the Philippines. A 1945 graduate of Palo Alto High School, she attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and Stanford University, where she met her future husband, George “Jug” Shoaf. The two raised two sons and a daughter. Highlights of Lou’s life included running a flight school and airline dealership with Jug, sailing with Jug and their two sons to New Zealand and back in a 41-foot sailboat, and retiring to their dream home in Half Moon Bay. Along the way, Lou pursued her interests in music and drama by acting in the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of San Jose and singing with The Bay Area Showcase Chorus of Sweet Adelines. Lou’s final move was to The Sequoias retirement community, where she met the second love-of her- life, Joe Rodgers, and the two enjoyed many happy occasions.

Lou was preceded in death by her husband Jug, her sister Ruth “Pat” Shepard, her brother Robert Bradford, and her grandsons Nicholas and Raymond Nell. She is survived by sons Doug and John, daughters-in-law Mary Jane and Melissa, daughter Diane, and grandchildren Tim, Amber, James, and Peter Shoaf, Renee, Ben and Nikki Nell, and Meg and Daniel Grazian.

A Celebration of Lou’s life was held Saturday, October 16, 2021 from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. in Hansen Hall at The Sequoias, Portola Valley.