William Bradford Ross, III

June 29, 1941 - December 11, 2017
William Bradford Ross, III

Gifts & Memorial Donations



Mr. William Bradford (Brad) Ross III was called home on December 11, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was surrounded by the love of his family.

Brad was born on June 29, 1941 in Olympia, Washington, to Bradford and Dorothy Hardy Ross while his father was stationed there during WWII. He was raised in Washington, DC; attended Avon Old Farms, CT; majored in Political Science at the University of Wyoming; and proudly served his country in the United States Coast Guard within their Search and Rescue Division.

On March 16, 1979, Brad married the love of his life, Robinette Davis in Naples, Florida and together they had two children, Nellie Tayloe Ross (Sanders) and William Bradford Ross IV. Brad was a business consultant with a concentration on real estate throughout the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. In later life, he enjoyed raising cattle and horses at his family home, Maiden Point Farm, Newburg, Maryland. In retirement, Brad and Robinette lived in Williamsburg, VA.

Brad was the grandson of two Wyoming governors — Governor William Bradford Ross and Governor Nellie Tayloe Ross, who became our nation’s first female Governor. His grandparents were also the first independently elected husband and wife governors in the United States. Brad committed his life to sharing his grandmother’s achievements through the family’s donation of the Nellie Tayloe Ross Collection to the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming. This collection resulted in a historical book about Governor Nellie Tayloe Ross titled, “Governor Lady: The Life and Times of Nellie Tayloe Ross” by Teva Scheer and a Wyoming Public Television documentary titled, “Nellie Tayloe Ross – A Governor First.”

Brad’s interests included advancing Governor Nellie Tayloe Ross’s legacy, who was also America’s first female Director of the United States Mint under Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower; traveling and antiquing with his dear Robinette, and enjoying time with his children’s families. Brad was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati of Virginia; Virginia Society of the Sons of the Revolution; and a board member of the Saint Andrews Society of Williamsburg, Virginia. As a young man, he served faithfully as the Senior Warden of Christ Church in Wayside, Maryland and later in life was a member of Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Virginia.

Bradford is preceded in death by his beloved parents, Bradford and Dorothy Hardy Ross; and two brothers David Tayloe Ross and John Hardy Ross. His life will forever be cherished by his loved ones of which he is survived by his wife, Robinette Davis Ross of Williamsburg, VA; and their children, Nellie Tayloe Sanders and her husband, Rep. Michael Sanders of Kingfisher, OK, and William Bradford Ross IV and his wife, Avery Walker Ross of Alexandria, VA; Aviza Grafel and her husband, Matt Grafel of Winchester, VA; brother, Robert Tayloe Ross and his wife, Laurie Hughes Ross of Richmond, VA; niece, Catherine Tayloe Ross of Brooklyn, NY, and nephews James Tayloe Ross of Alexandria, VA and David Tayloe Ross of Fredericksburg, VA; grandchildren, Davis Lee Sanders and Walker Tayloe Sanders of Kingfisher, OK and Erik, Emma and Connor Grafel of Winchester, VA.

The funeral service will be held on Thursday, December 14th, at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, VA at 2:00 p.m. followed by a reception at the Custis Tenement House. A private internment will be held at St. Pauls Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C.  Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Bucktrout Funeral Service in Williamsburg, VA.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Center of Family Love at P.O. Box 245, Okarche, OK 73762 or Bruton Parish Church at 331 W. Duke of Gloucester Street, Williamsburg, VA 23185.


Purchase Flowers

Subscribe to this Obituary

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Tribute Wall

Please feel free to sign the guestbook or share a memory



Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


  • December 18, 2017
    Gail Burns says:
    Brad, you will be greatly missed. I will miss our talks, your laugh and your positive disposition. I know you are at peace now. Robinette, my thoughts and prayers are with you.

  • December 18, 2017
    Rachael Ross Harwood says:
    Mrs. Ross, I am so sorry for your loss. Mr. Ross was such a kind and loving man! He will truest be missed at Sportsmans Grille. I am so glad that he stopped by for one last visit! I apologize I didn’t make it to the service, I am just now reading this. Hope to see you soon. Love you and praying for you!

  • December 04, 2020
    Beth Mylroie says:
    Dearest Robinette, Clearing out files I came across your beautiful xmas card from 2012. I am so very sorry for your loss and that I was not aware until now. Gerry loved Brad like a brother. Often referring to him as "Uncle" and still to this day, our children will refer to him as such. Perhaps we can pick up the pieces and re-establish that wonderful friendship from long ago that began with Brad introducing himself at a "cotillion" we attended as newly weds ...peace and love