Showing 46 results

Event Date : Wednesday, July 10, 1957
Event Type : Death

Description : Little Glen Wist, 6, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wist of the Holland Marsh, was drowned in the canal beside his home at noon last Wednesday. Apparently he had fallen into the water while playing with a small toy boat, to which he had attached a string about eight feet long.Glen had been at the storage building with his two elder brothers, Gary and Paul, and his father. At noon Mr. Wist told the three boys to go home for lunch. When Mr. Wist reached home it was realized that the youngest brother was missing. A search was immediately begun, and when they went to the canal they found the toy boat floating on the water. When they pulled in the boat, little Glen's body came in sight, the string of the boat being tied to his foot. Resuscitation work was begun immediately by his father, and a neighbour. Bradford fire brigade was called and the firemen, with the help of Miss Marilyn Ritchie, R.N., who was soon joined by a doctor, worked for three and a half hours, but in vain. Little Glen was a bright, lovable little chap who would have started to school this fall, had he been spared. He is survived by his two elder brothers, Gary 11 and Paul 8, and his parents. The funeral was held from the Church of Holy Martyrs, Bradford, on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Interment was in the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Bradford.

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 : Wednesday, May 19, 1965
Event Type : Death
Municipality : Cairo, Egypt

Description : Died suddenly as the result of an aircraft accident at Cairo, Egypt, of Decca, East Pakistan, formerly of Elmvale, Ont., in her 43rd year. Beloved wife of the late George H. V., dear mother of Bill, sister of Edward, Robert and Edith (Mrs. R. Arnott) all of Toronto, Jean (Mrs. M. R. Rowat) of Elmvale, Helen (Mrs. R. P. Corbett) of Kitchener, Velma (Mrs. L. McAfee) of Sydney, B.C. and Ann (Mrs. L. A. Spence) of Barrie. A memorial service was held at St. John's United Church, Elmvale, Sunday, May 23 at 7 p.m.

Event Date : Wednesday, May 19, 1965
Event Type : Death
Municipality : Cairo, Egypt

Description : A former West Gwillimbury Township girl was one of the two Canadians who died in the jet liner crash a few miles from Cairo, Egypt, last Wednesday, when 121 persons lost their lives. The other was her husband. The couple who perished are Mr. and Mrs. George Terry, whose home was in Elmvale, and Mrs. Terry was the former Mildred Averill, second daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Walter Averill, both of whom belonged to well known families from the Bond Head district, although Mr. and Mrs. Averill lived on Concession 9, West Gwillimbury, on what is known as the Taylor farm, and it was there that Mildred Averill and her eight brothers and sisters were born and spent their childhood. The death of Mrs. Averill, the former Murl Harvey, in the early 1940's left this big family of children motherless, but they were reliable and resourceful people and the care by the older ones for the younger won the admiration of neighbours and other friends. Mildred was the third in the family and the second among the girls. She attended Bradford High School for three years before the family left the township, and after graduation from school she went into training, for her chosen profession of nursing, at St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto. As a graduate nurse Mildred Averill returned to her native county and nursed in Barrie and the Barrie district, where she met and married George Terry of Elmvale. Doing engineering work with a big construction company working for the Columbo Plan, Mr. Terry had been sent to different parts of the world and Mrs. Terry had been in the habit of accompanying him. In this way they had travelled widely, having resided for a period in South Africa before going to the Far East. About three years ago Mr. Terry was sent to Decca, Pakistan, and about a year later Mrs. Terry and their only son, Bill, followed him, but the conditions and the climate in that land were found unsatisfactory for both the health and education of the boy and about a year ago he was sent back to Mrs. Terry's sister, Mrs. Spence, of Barrie, and was entered in St. Andrew's College, Aurora. The families of both Mr. and Mrs. Terry knew that they were returning from Pakistan, but young Bill had not been told, they believing that the excitement of the anticipation of a reunion with his parents would interrupt his studies at examination time. Mr. and Mrs. Terry had reached Cairo on the return trip and boarded the ill-fated jet, ahead of schedule booking, when they discovered two seats were available. Twelve-year old Billy Terry was taken from school to the home of his aunt, Mrs. Spence, at Barrie, where he was told the sad news and on Sunday evening, with other members of the families and many sympathizing friends, attended a memorial service in Elmvale. This week he is back in school in St. Andrew's. Mr. Terry is survived by his mother in Elmvale and two sisters. Mrs. Terry leaves two brothers, Edward and Robert, and five sisters, Jean, Edith, Helen, Velma and Anne. Another brother, John predeceased her. Mr. D. K. Harvey, clerk-treasurer of Tecumseth Township, is an uncle of Mrs. Terry, being a brother of her late mother.

Event Date : Wednesday, May 19, 1965
Event Type : Death
Municipality : Cairo, Egypt

Description : Died suddenly as the result of an aircraft accident at Cairo, Egypt, of Decca, East Pakistan, formerly of Elmvale, Ont., in his 50th year. Beloved husband of the late Mildred Elizabeth Averill, dear father of Bill, beloved son of Mrs. William Terry of Elmvale, brother of Velma (Mrs. T. Keast) of Hespeler, Marguerite (Mrs. E. Frost) of Stoney Creek and the late Mabel (Mrs. G. Garrow). A memorial service was held at St. John's United Church, Sunday, May 23 at 7 p.m.

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.