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"Nina Saliwonczyk, 17, who since coming to Canada had spent most of her life in the Bradford area and was known among the young people as a very bright and intelligent young girl, met a tragic death in the flaming wreckage of a car on No. 11 Highway, near Mulock's Corners, on the evening of the Civic holiday." ...

"George Murray Gillam, 29, of R.R. 3 King, was drowned in the canal, Holland Marsh, in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Werner Ploder, son of Mr. A. Ploder, Holland Marsh, was returning home around 1:50 a.m. when tat the bridge, located at the far end of Ansnorveld, he saw the lights of a car in the water, and hurried to his home from where he called the King township police.
Bradford firemen were called, responding to the call at about 2 a.m. and they took the young man's body from the water, and a few hours later hauled the car out.
The car had gone through the guard rail of the bridge, where the water is about seven feet deep. Mr. Gillam was alone in his car."

" 'Could the life of one child have been saved and the lives of five others been improved if the Children's Aid Society had acted sooner?' This is the question that Mrs. Carol Simone keeps asking herself after the drowning on Monday of her neighbor's child, Betty Lowder, aged 12..."

"A number of friends were on hand last Sunday afternoon to help Edward (Ted) gapp and Audrey Gapp celebrate 40 years of marriage.
A reception was held at the Bradford firehall for the Gapp's. It was a fitting location because Mr. Gapp has been the chief of the town's volunteer fire department for many years.
The Gapp's were married on October 2, 1935 and have spent their entire married life in Bradford. In addition to his involvement with the fire department, Mr. gapp works as caretaker of the town hall.
Mr. gapp has lived in Bradford since he came to Canada at the age of seven with his parents. He was born and lived his early years in England.
The guests enjoyed tea and coffee with the Gapp's. The head table was decorated with a beautiful flower arrangement.
As chief of the fire department, Mr. Gapp has seen the addition of more equipment and particularly a new pumper truck earlier this year. The truck was provided by West Gwillimbury Township to permit better service to the township.
Mr. and Mrs. Gapp said the recent weather is very similar to that of 40 years ago. "Our wedding day was much like today," Mr. Gapp said Sunday. "It was cool and foggy in the morning but once the sun burned it off, it was a beautiful day." "

Event Date : Monday, October 06, 1975
Event Type : Death

Description : Norman (Dodger) Collings, whose life spanned the fields of sports, farming and community involvement, died at the age of 65 Monday after a short illness in Chedoke Hospital, Hamilton. Mr. Collings was born in Bradford and educated at the local public and high school. After finishing high school, he began a professional hockey career. During that career, he played with a number of American minor league teams as well as the old New York Americans and Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League. He also played on a West Toronto Memorial Cup championship team. Mr. Collings was renowned locally for his athletic ability and, as well as being an accomplished hockey player, he was active in lacrosse, curling and golf. Before joining the management of Hardee Farms and Federal Diversiplex in the mid-sixties, Mr. Collings worked as a market gardener on land he owned in the Holland Marsh. In 1965 he joined Hardee Farms and in 1970 was appointed vice-president and general manager of the Bradford plant's operations. Always enthusiastic, Mr. Collings also involved himself deeply in the community. He was a member and past president of the Bradford Lions Club and an Elder in the United Church. He served as the town's volunteer fire chief, succeeding his father who had held the post before him. For a number of years, Mr. Collings was a member of the Bradford Village Council and was a former member and chairman of the Bradford and District Community Centre Board. His works in the community brought Mr. Collings the respect and esteem of the community at large. While active in his community, Mr. Collings was an unassuming man. He was known to most people by the nickname Dodger, which he picked up during his sports career. Mr. Collings is survived by his wife for more than 40 years, Jean; his son, Tom, now a county engineer in Stratford; his daughter Mary Jane Buyers, now living in Melbourne, Australia, and seven grandsons. Mr. Collings is resting in the Lathangue & Skwarchuk Funeral Home in Bradford. Funeral services will be held at the Bradford United Church Thursday at 2:30 p.m. Interment will be in the Mount Pleasant Cemetery.

BRADFORD - They came by the hundreds yesterday (Tuesday) to pay their respects to a dedicated fire fighter - Harold "Butch" Boyd, Bradford's fire chief, who died Saturday in York County Hospital in Newmarket.

He was 64.

Firefighters from across southern Ontario came to pay a final tribute to the quiet, modest man who was buried in full uniform yesterday at Newmarket Cemetery.

His comrades formed an honor guard after a simple ceremony at the Lathangue and Skwarchuk Funeral Home.

Up until the morning before he died, Butch was preparing for a fire safety campaign involving his pet project: having smoke detectors installed in every home in Bradford.

WORK TO DO

His widow Eileen recalls him telling fellow Bradford firefighter Jim Church Friday, "I've got to go down to the fire hall. There's a lot of work to do."

"Being fire chief was his whole life," said Sherran Breedon, his daughter. "The only time he ever went anywhere - Quebec and Regina - was to a convention as Bradford's fire chief.:

Former Fire Chief Ted Gapp remembers Butch as a "real good, dedicated fireman."

He was born in Newmarket, moving to Bradford in 1937 where he opened a butcher shop. He married Eileen in 1942 and moved into the house, coincidentally, directly across from the future fire hall where he would spend so much of his time.

Eileen smiled when she remembered his unorthodox style of buying a home.

"He never even looked inside the place. He just figured that since he was getting married he needed a house."

She fell through the floor as soon as she stepped in for her first look.

36 YEARS SERVICE

Butch joined the fire department in 1943. He was also a charter member of the Bradford Lions Club, although he stopped his activities with the club some time later.

In addition to his profession as butcher, Butch was also a restauranteur, pool hall operator, and manager of the first vacuum plant in Ontario - "A jack-of-all-trades," according to his daughter.

Butch became fire chief after the retirement of Ted Gapp in 1975.

He was an avid curler and belonged to the curling club up until three years ago.

But his first love was the fire department.

Despite recent hospitalization, he continued to organize his safety campaign, arrange the weekly practice drills, conduct school tours, and when the need arose, supervise firefighting.

He was rushed to York County Friday evening after he developed breathing difficulties. He died the following morning.

Harold Boyd leaves his wife Eileen, daughter Sherran (Mrs. George Breedon) of Bradford, three grandchildren, Laurie, Paul and Trish, and a brother Glenn of Scarborough.

Pallbearers were Orville Hand, Bill Breen, Ron Bannerman, Lawrence McKnight, Jim Church and George Allan. Flowerbearers were Ted Gapp, Ken Carter, Roy Storey, Bev Everitt, Gordon Church and Ted Bulpit.

Audrey Evans Dies After Brief Illness

Bradford lost a special lady last week. Audrey Evans, wife of former Bradford Mayor and Simcoe Centre MPP, D. Arthur Evans died early Wednesday morning, April 29, at York County Hospital in Newmarket after a sudden illness.

Mrs. Evans, 63, was taken ill while she and her husband vacationed with friends in Pheonix, Arizona on April 14.

Mr. Evans said she "miraculously" regained consciousness while in hospital in Pheonix to greet her children who had rushed to her bedside, then lapsed into a coma shortly afterward.

She was flown back to Canada the day prior to her death. He family was with her when she died.

NEAR ALLISTON

Born Audrey Myrtle Kerr, Mrs. Evans was the daughter of Selby Britton and Myrtle Kerr who owned a farm near Alliston.

Mr. Evans recalled meeting his wife at a dance while they were both teenagers. "We went together for five years and were married in 1939 in the Anglican Church in Rosemount," he said.

The couple celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary while they were in Pheonix.

After their marriage they settled in Bradford where Mr. Evans operated a business and was ready to embark on his long political career, culminating in his election as Bradford's first mayor and MPP in 1960.

POLITICAL LIFE

"There is absolutely no way I could have done it without her," he commented. "I couldn't have had a better wife for a political life."

A charming, friendly lady, Mrs. Evans proved as staunch a campaigner as her husband. "She really enjoyed it," he recalled.

As well as helping her husband through successive political campaigns, Mrs. Evans was also an active members of the IODE and Anglican Church Women, and taught Sunday school as Trinity Anglican in Bradford.

Before a serious operation about four years ago, Mr. Evans said, she also enjoyed curling and playing golf.

"She was very active with young people. Our children's friends were always made welcome in our home. She just loved young people." Mr. Evans said.

Mourners Friday overflowed the chapel of the Lathangue-Skwarchuk Funeral Home where a funeral service for Mrs. Evans was conducted by Rev. Garnett Whitfield of Trinity Anglican Church.

Rev. Whitfield himself recalled first meeting Mrs. Evans as she typically offered assistance while he and Mrs. Whitfield were moving into their home last year.

FAMILY

Audrey Evans leaves her husband Art, children John, Don, Robin, Cathy (Mrs. Luis Arruda), and grandchildren Martina, David, Tara, Reagan, Becky, Justin, and Tiffany. She also leaves a brother, Borden.

Interment took place at Coulson's Hill cemetery.

Pallbearers were Keith Noble, Jack Constable, Ron Whiteside, Tim Fuller, Art Turner, and Doug Stewart.

Flower bearers were Ken Tupling, Walt Edney, Lloyd Kneeshaw, Bus Culbert, Keith Stevens, Jim McClocklin, Charlie Evans, and Ross Hughes.

Description : Earl Rowe Dies at 89
By Marianne Kazmer
Bradford Witness News Editor

NEWTON ROBINSON - They came to this small village, located just south of Cookstown, to pay their last respects to a political legend.

Gathered in the Newton Robinson United Church, with the rain falling softly outside, they listened as Rev. Henry Dahlin performed the service. It was the final tribute to a man whose political career spanned almost 65 years.

William Earl Rowe, former lieutenant-governor of Ontario and political veteran died last Thursday at his Newton Robinson home after suffering a hear attack. He was 89.

Born in Iowa, Mr. Rowe grew up in Simcoe County, where his political career began in 1919 when he became reeve of West Gwillimbury township. He spend 35 years as a Conservative legislator at both the provincial and federal levels before he was named lieutenant-governor in 1963. A former leader of the Ontario Conservative party, Mr. Rowe was also the youngest member in the R.B. Bennett cabinet, where he served as minister without portfolio.

In 1958, his daughter Jean Casselman Wadds was elected to parliament making the Rowes the first father-daughter team in Canada's history. She now serves as on the MacDonald Commission on the economy.

In addition to his long and distinguished political career, Mr. Rowe was also actively involved in harness racing throughout his life. Together with his son Bill, he founded both the Barrie and Windsor Raceway.

Among those attending the funeral service held Monday afternoon at Newton Robinson United Church were Lieutenant-Governor John Black Aird, Premier William Davis, NEw Brunswick Premier Richard Hatfield, Solicitor-General George Taylor, former lieutenant-governor Roland Michener, and York-Peel MP Sinclair Stevens.

Premier Davis described Mr. Rowe as "a great Canadian who will be remembered as a man who excelled as parliamentarian, Queen's representative in Ontario, as a breeder and racer of standard-bred horses, a farmer, and most importantly, in raising a fine family."

Mr. Rowe's wife, Treva, died five weeks ago after suffering a series of strokes. They are predecessed by a son, Lennox.

Mr. Rowe leaves a sister, Mary Lennox and a daughter, Jean Casselman Wadds. In addition, he leaves to mourn grandchildren Mrs. Jane Hutchins, Nancy Casselman of Toronto, Earl Rowe of Shanty Bay, Clare Casselman of Toronto, Scott Rowe of Cookstown, Cindy Rowe of London, Patti Rowe of Cookstown and great grandchildren Jennifer Hutchins, Katherine and Crystal Rowe.

Mr. Rowe was buried at Newton Robinson Cemetery.

Bradford Witness and South Simcoe News
February 15, 1984

W. Earl Rowe, veteran of federal politics and former lieutenant-governor of Ontario, died yesterday of a heart attack at his farm, about 70 kilometres (43 miles) north of Toronto. He was 89.

A lover of both politics and horses, Mr. Rowe spent 35 years as a Progressive Conservative member at both provincial and federal levels before being named lieutenant-governor in 1963, a post he held for five years.

His only defeat at the polls came in 1937, when he waged an unsuccessful attempt to wrest the Ontario premiership from Liberal Mitchell Hepburn. Shortly afterwards, he returned to federal politics.

Born in Iowa of Ontario parents, Mr. Rowe began his political career in 1919, when he was elected reeve of Gwillimbury Township.

He next won a provincial seat in the riding of South Simcoe in 1923 and two years later won the federal seat of Dufferin-Simcoe. He held the seat for 38 years with the only interruption being his try for the Ontario premiership.

Mr. Rowe was the youngest member in the cabinet of R.B. Bennett, serving briefly in 1935 as a minister without portfolio in the short-lived government. he resigned his federal seat and returned to provincial politics when the government was defeated in November of that year.

He remembered Bennett as "probably the most knowledgeable and least appreciated prime minister because of the very difficult time he went through."

Mr. Rowe was provincial Tory leader from 1936 to 1938, but his failure to win a seat in the 1937 election, and reported dissension in party ranks, sent him back to Ottawa.

He ran federally for Dufferin-Simcoe again in 1940, and was reelected six times before leaving federal politics in 1963 to become lieutenant-governor, a position he held for five years.

Mr. Rowe and his late wife, Teva, raised horses.

January 8, 1985
Death

William J. Sutherland, 78, of Bond Head died Jan. 8, 1985 at YorkCounty Hospital. Son of the late John Sutherland, of West Gwillimbury Township and the late Mary Noble of Yorkshire, England, hewas born Sept. 17, 1909 in Bond Head. He was married Sept 21, 1935 in Tecumseth Township to the late Elva Bradley...He was predeceased by his wife on Dec. 26, 1984. Surviving are three daughters, Margaret Brethet, of RR3 Tottenham, Marian Davey, of RR1 Bradford, and Doris Colborn, of Gilford, one son, John Sutherland, of Midland, one sister, Mary Breedon, of RR1 Bradford, 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild....