William Seely Bradshaw, a beloved husband, father and grandfather who taught at Brigham Young University for nearly four decades and who used his positions as a leader in his faith and academic communities to advocate for acceptance and inclusiveness, died peacefully on March 20, 2026. He was 88.

A resident of Orem, Utah, William was born on Oct. 29, 1937 in Salt Lake City, Utah to parents William Walters and Lucia Seely Bradshaw, and elder brother to sisters Marcia and Linda. He graduated from East High School in Salt Lake City in 1956, where he was the quarterback of his state championship-winning football team and received an honorable mention All State award. He was also an Eagle Scout and sang in the a cappella choir.

Bill served a mission in Hong Kong with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, where he met the woman who would become his wife, fellow missionary Marjorie Gardner. They were married in Idaho Falls in 1961.

He completed his Bachelor’s degree in biology at Harvard University in 1963. Next, he pursued a doctorate in biochemistry at the University of Illinois, which he completed at the University of Washington in Seattle, when his advisor, William J. Rutter, relocated there. He went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1970.

Bill and Marge welcomed five children during that time period: Bill, born in Boston, Massachusetts; Bart, born in Salt Lake City, Utah; Becky, born in Urbana, Illinois; Brett, born in Seattle, Washington; and Ben, born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

In 1970, he accepted a faculty position in the Department of Zoology at Brigham Young University. Soon thereafter, in 1971, at age 33, with five young children, he and Marge were called to serve as leaders of the church’s Hong Kong mission. He and Marjorie opened the first mission in Vietnam in 1973 before returning to the U.S. in 1974. Over the years, Bill also served as a bishop, in a stake presidency, and as a branch president at the Provo Missionary Training Center.

Bill taught at Brigham Young University for 38 years, working as a biology professor and later as associate dean of the honors program. Over the course of his tenure, his formal awards and honors include: the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Teaching Award in 1985 (recognized as the highest teaching honor at BYU), two-time Teacher of the Year Award in 1994 and 1996 in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, and the College of Life Sciences Outstanding Mentor Award in 2000.

Throughout his career, he was recognized for his commitment to the art and science of teaching. The thousands of Brigham Young University students whom Professor Bradshaw taught in introductory biology may remember his nuanced approach to teaching the science of evolution within a faith-based context, helping students to reconcile their scientific learning with their faith and sharing a message that scientific literacy and active church membership are compatible.

In his later years, Bill and Marge became prominent advocates for LGBTQ+ Latter-day Saints and their families. Driven by love for their gay son, they served as chairs of LDS Family Fellowship, working tirelessly to promote understanding and unconditional love within the church community. They were also awarded with the Affirmation Ally Award in 2014 for their advocacy and support for LGBTQ individuals in the BYU and Latter-Day Saint communities.

He also pursued a number of hobbies throughout his life. He was a die-hard Cougar fan, was “irrationally loyal” to the Red Sox and Celtics, and loved rooting for the Utah Jazz. He and Marge built a cabin in Star Valley, Wyoming, where they would welcome family and friends. He was a skilled fisherman who loved to take fishing trips with his sons. He also took up playing the banjo at 50 and became a proficient musician who performed for residents at assisted living homes.

His was a life led by science, faith, intellectual courage, kindness and loyalty, and he will be missed immensely.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his sister Marcia, and grandson Wesley. He is survived by his beloved wife Marge, his five children and their spouses Bill (Suni), Bart (Joyce), Becky (Bryan), Brett (Jeff) and Ben (Clare), 17 grandchildren, 2 great-grandchildren, and his sister Linda (Russ).

Family, friends, and loved ones will have the opportunity to pay their respects at a viewing, which will take place at the Walker Sanderson Funeral Home & Crematory located at 646 E 800 N in Orem, Utah, on April 2, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

An additional viewing will take place April 3, 2026 from 9:30 to 10:30 am at the Orem 7th Ward located at 365 S 900 E in Orem, Utah. Funeral services will follow at 11:00 am providing an opportunity for all to celebrate Bill and honor his memory.

The family kindly requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Encircle, an LGBTQ+ Youth & Family Resource, and the Autism Society of America.