Event Date : Tuesday, May 24, 1955
Event Type : Death

Description : The finding of a coat, hat and tie on the bank of the canal, west of the bridge, last Thursday by three fishermen started a police search which disclosed a receipted bill from Barrie Hydro to William Semenuk in the pocket of the coat. Almost certain that Mr. Semenuk must have inadvertently drowned, Chief Constable Earl Copson and Constable George Burbidge of Bradford began dragging operations and located Mr. Semenuk's body quite near to the place his clothing had been left. The clothing was rain soaked, indicating that it had been on the bank during the heavy rains of Tuesday night. Mr. Semenuk returned to Bradford from Barrie about a year ago and had been making his home here, but during the last two or three weeks had been in Barrie. On Tuesday evening he came here, presumably to visit his brother. His whereabouts after that is not definitely known but the removal of his hat, coat and tie indicate that he slipped and fell into the canal while washing. Mr. Semenuk was widely known in this district. There were few trades to which he could not give the hand of an expert. After the installation of a water service in Bradford, between twenty-five and thirty years ago, Wm. Semenuk did a great deal of plumbing in the homes here. He was rated as a near genius in making electrical repairs, especially in radio work. Until about a year ago he was trouble man at the General Electric in Barrie and a testimonial letter given to him by that company upon his retirement was one of his proud possessions. Recently he had been working on TV work. Mr. Semenuk was born in the province of Northern Butowina, now a part of the Ukraine, and came to Canada in 1908, living at Lachine, Quebec, for the first six years before coming to Toronto. He came to Bradford in 1921, and, though moving away from here a number of years ago, he had always kept in touch with his friends here. His first wife died about ten years ago. He is survived by his second wife, whom he married in Barrie; two daughters, Miss Elizabeth, now in Owen Sound, and Mary (Mrs. Bruce) in Toronto; one son, William, in Toronto; and his brother, Gregory, in Bradford. He was a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. The funeral services were held on Saturday from the Lathangue-Kilkenny Funeral Home. Services were in charge of Rev. W. Johnson, rector of Trinity Anglican Church, Bradford. Interment was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery. The pallbearers were old friends, namely, John Grakul, Wm. Decyk, Nick Werklack, Steve Kawchak, George Sadowchuk and Jas. Pelowich.

Contains articles on the accidental deaths within the Bradford and West Gwillimbury area

Event Date : Tuesday, January 24, 1933
Event Type : Death

Description : Died tragically at the age of 36. Fell through the ice of the Holland River and drowned while trying to help others.Is buried in the Mount Pleasant cemetery.

Event Date : Monday, August 05, 1963
Event Type : Death
Municipality : Jackson's Point, Ont.

Description : Susan Van Rooyen, 15, of Bradford, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Van Rooyen, Frederick Street, was drowned early Monday morning in Lake Simcoe, near the Black River, while in for a swim before breakfast with her brother, John, and a friend, Beverley Williamson, also of Bradford and about the same age. According to report, the young people were not in deep water but Susan was swept off her feet by a wave. Coroner Dr. C. S. Noble of Sutton, who has seen the same area claim three lives in as many years, said the beach area at the mouth of the Black River in Mossington's Park should be posted as dangerous. John Van Rooyen said his sister, wading in shoulder-deep water, suddenly started slipping into deeper water, screaming that something was dragging her. When he went to help her she grabbed him by the throat, and he barely managed to avoid being pulled under with her. Police believe Susan, a fair swimmer, may have been pulled off her feet by the river's undertow. Her body was found about an hour later.

Event Date : Friday, September 10, 1971
Event Type : Death

Description : Accidentally drowned near Eustis, Florida, at the age of 2 1/2 years. Son of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Verkaik, Eustis. Born at Newmarket on March 25, 1969, Warren moved to Eustis with his parents from Bradford. He was a member of the Christian Reformed Church of Orlando, Florida.

Event Date : Saturday, June 13, 1936
Event Type : Death

Description : Bohoniuk, 25-year-old Ukranian, of Toronto, was drowned in the Holland Marsh irrigation canal, at the point where the canal skirts the rear of Mr. J. W. Wilson's farm. He had arrived in Bradford two days before and secured work with Anglo del Zotto and F. Bollsanelo, market gardeners. Having finished work, he decided to bathe in the canal. When he did not appear for supper, a search was instituted, police were called, and eventually his body was found in about nine feet of water. The body was removed to the undertaking rooms of T. Kilkenny & Son, Bradford. Coroner Dr. J. A. Cummings did not feel that an inquest was necessary.The brother of the dead man had the body removed to Toronto for burial in Mount Hope Cemetery.