Event Date : Thursday, March 17, 1955
Event Type : Death

"Late last Friday evening, March 18, a telephone call to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brown of Bradford, relayed the telegram from military authorities to Mrs. M. C. Vipond, conveying the sad message that her husband, Lt. Milton C. Vipond, 30 had died in Korea. Mrs. Vipond had been at the home of her parents since her husband left for Korea on March 1 of last year. In conversation with a member of the family yesterday morning The Witness learned that while Mrs. Vipond had had no further word from military authorities, according to radio and daily press reports, her husband lost his life in a building fire in the Canadian sector in Korea on Thursday night. The fire levelled a hut in the officers' lines in the matter of minutes. Seven other officers escaped unhurt from the blaze.Lt. Vipond, a graduate of Bishop's College, began his military career during the Second World War with R.C.N.V.R. He attended Bishop's College following demobilization and went on to take his Bachelor of Arts degree and entered first year medicine studies.He was commissioned in the Reserve Force while serving with the Stormont, Dundas, Glenngary Highlanders, of Cornwall, Ont. He was appointed to the Regular Army some time later and has served with the 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Germany, as well as on the staff of the Royal Canadian School of Infantry. Before joining the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, he served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment.Late last summer Lt. Vipond was appointed Education Officer of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade.Lt. Vipond was married in Bradford on November 17, 1951, to Helen Brown, R.N., only daughter of Deputy-Reeve Thomas Brown of West Gwillimbury and Mrs. Brown. During Lt. Vipond's time in Germany his wife visited him there. He returned to Canada and was stationed at Grand Bend until March 1 of last year when he was sent to Korea for a year. At that time Mrs. Vipond returned to the home of her parents and at the time the message arrived notifying of his death preparations were being made here to welcome him home early next month.On September 20 of last year a daughter was born to Lt. and Mrs. Vipond, but the father was not spared to see little six-month-old Helen Lorraine.As well as his young wife and infant daughter, his widowed mother, Mrs. Laura M. Vipond, of Wales, near Cornwall, survives him.Many of his wife's friends here have met Lt. Vipond and regarded him very highly. His tragic and untimely death has aroused sincerest sympathy for his wife, who has always been one of the community's best loved daughters, his wee daughter and his mother."

Event Date : Saturday, November 17, 1951
Event Type : Marriage

Description : Helen Beatrice, only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brown of Bradford, to Lieutenant Milton Cameron Vipond, son of Mrs. Vipond of Wales, Ontario, and the late Mr. Howard C. Vipond. Married at Trinity Anglican Church, Bradford, by Rev. H.G. Blake. Maid of honour: Miss Audrey Sloane, cousin of the bride. Matrons of honour: Mrs. A. Cameron, cousin of the bride, and Mrs. H. Graham, both of Sault Ste. Marie. Groomsman: Lieutenant M. Whiting of Camp Borden. Ushers: Lieutenant Dave Hanson of Camp Borden and the bride's brother, Robert Brown. Bride is a graduate of Toronto General Hospital. Groom is a graduate of Bishop's College, also attending Queen's University, and presently with the First Canadian Rifles, Camp Borden. Couple will leave shortly for Germany where Lieutenant Vipond will be attached to the 27th Brigade.

Event Date : Wednesday, July 08, 1981
Event Type : Death

Description : Former owner, publisher, and editor of The Bradford Witness, Ina McKenzie, died last Wednesday, July 8, after a lengthy illness. She was 89. Born Ina Galbraith in Paisley, Bruce County, Mrs. McKenzie learned to be independent at an early age after the death of her father at age 29. Her mother, a school teacher, struggled to raise her and younger sister Donalda. "I went into teaching as well because there was nothing else a girl at that time could do except become a nurse" Mrs. McKenzie remarked in an interview before her death. She taught for several years in the tough downtown Toronto core where her students included the famous Conacher brothers. "They were wonderful boys. Perhaps a bit mischievious though" she recalled laughing. After marrying her childhood sweetheart Stewart McKenzie (who died in 1975) she left teaching to move to Detroit with her husband."All that time - it was in the 1920s - Detroit was a boom town. Everyone was playing the stock market and making a great deal of money - on paper at any rate. Stewart got a job on a financial publication called Saturday Night."Mr. McKenzie had an extensive background in the newspaper business. His father had owned the Paisley Advocate.While in Detroit the stock market crashed and Mr. McKenzie because he was a Canadian citizen was in danger of losing his job."I told Stewart 'Let's look for a business now while you've still got a job' so we went on vacation and looked at what appeared to be a very prosperous newspaper in Trenton" Mrs. McKenzie remembered.However being a very astute business woman she noted that the paper printed a great deal of political material that would come to a halt if the government changed. They decided to look elsewhere.Bradford was their next stop."When we arrived in Bradford it was a beautiful day" she recalled. However the condition of The Bradford Witness was something else again."Stewart went in and told me 'The machinery is a disgrace'" she remembered but they loved the little town and decided to stay contributing greatly to its prosperity and growth over the years.In those first years of the Depression Bradford was little more than a main street the lower end shabby the western portion relatively prosperous she recalled. "Everything was booming when we arrived in Bradford." Mrs. McKenzie noted. "But shortly after many people were in dire poverty. If we would have collected what was on our books we could have retired however people gave what they could."During this time they relocated the paper's office from Holland St. to Barrie St. (where the European Bakery is currently located) remaining there until they retired in 1968 selling the paper to Gerry Barker.Before deteriorating eyesight hampered her activities Mrs. McKenzie was extremely active in various organizations in Bradford. During the Second World War she headed the Bradford chapter of the Canadian Red Cross. She was a charter member of the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE and a past president of the Bradford Women's Institute. She also taught Sunday School at the Bradford United Church. One of the driving forces behind fund-raising efforts for the Bradford Community Centre. Mrs. McKenzie also lent her considerable energies and intelligence to the Hurricane Hazel flood relief program and various other community projects. Ina McKenzie is survived by her sister Donalda Crosbie of Toronto nephew Robert W. Crosbie and good friend Ella Langford of Bradford. She was also great-aunt to Alexander George and Cynthia. Friends called at the Lathangue and Skwarchuk Funeral Home and a service conducted by Rev. G. McFarlane was held in the chapel on Friday July 10. She was buried next to her husband at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Toronto.Donations to the West Gwillimbury chapter of IODE would be appreciated.

Event Date : Thursday, June 19, 1975
Event Type : Death

Description : Bradford lost a dedicated citizen last week when Stewart Scott McKenzie died in York County Hospital, Newmarket. For many years, Mr. McKenzie and his wife Ina, were the editorial voice of Bradford when they operated the Bradford Witness Publishing Company for a period of 37 years. Stew was a popular member of the community, working not only as publisher of the flourishing little paper but serving on the village council, the arena board and in his church. His skills in the printing trade were well known throughout the district as the publishing company served many customers over a wide area. But Stewart McKenzie's real mark on life was his zest for living. A veteran of World War I, Stew returned suffering from impaired hearing and the shock of living man's inhumanity to man. While this experience had a profound effect on his life, Stew managed to present a sunny disposition and was well loved by the community. Stewart McKenzie was the kind of man who helped make this community strong and his country strong. He felt a strong sense of responsibility toward his fellow man. Above all he was a newspaperman and one who was dedicated to making our world a little better place in which to live.He will be sorely missed.

Event Date : Friday, April 22, 1966
Event Type : Death

Description : William Cyril Selby, whose pioneer ancestors in York County became early settlers in West Gwillimbury, died in York County Hospital on April 22, following a coronary. He was the last surviving member of his family to reside in this area. Born on the 9th Concession of West Gwillimbury, 76 years ago, Mr. Selby served throughout the years of the First World War with heavy artillery. Returning after the war, to the farm of his birth, he made his home there, and that farm his life interest, until 1960, when he purchased a home on Church Street and retired to Bradford. Of a quiet and kindly disposition, he was liked by his neighbours and other friends. He was a member of St. Paul's Anglican Church. The story of the Selby family is one which reminds us of the early history of this area, his great-grandmother having been Isabel Sutherland, a Selkirk settler, and another grandparent being a U.E. Loyalist. Mr. Selby was predeceased by two brothers, Mr. Ernest Selby and Percy, one time reeve of West Gwillimbury, and by a sister, Mrs. Roy Kneeshaw (Mary). Two sisters survive him, namely Mrs. Lena B. Selby of Asbury Park, N.Y., and Mrs. Thomas (Stella) of South Orange N.J. The funeral service was held in St. Paul's Anglican Church, Coulson's Hill, with the services being conducted by his rector, Rev. W. H. Warnica, and interment in St. Paul's Cemetery. The pallbearers were Dr. Selby Kneeshaw, Messrs. Carl Bowles, Keith Bowles, Victor Sloane, John Fennell and Sam Lee. Flower bearers were Messrs. Norman Bowles, J. L. Henderson, Waldy Crossland, Thos. Brown and Seward Lee.