How should I handle this proposal tradition after her father’s passing?

I’m planning on proposing to my girlfriend soon, and I’m not sure what the right thing to do is.

She’s always talked about liking the tradition of her future husband asking her father for his blessing before proposing. Unfortunately, her father passed away a little while ago, so that’s no longer possible.
I don’t want to ask her what she’d want in this situation because it feels like it would be a pretty obvious hint that I’m planning to propose, and I also don’t want to bring up a conversation that could be painful for her.

Has anyone been in a similar situation, or have any ideas on a thoughtful way to honor that tradition without unintentionally upsetting her?