Obituary of Jean Gertrude Bradley

JEAN GERTRUDE BRADLEY_ Jean Bradley passed away quietly on Saturday evening, June 14, 2008. Jean was born on January 1, 1911, the third of four daughters born to her parents Marianne and John. She was predeceased by them, her husband George and her three sisters Helen, Alexandra (Lex) and Dorothy (Doll). She is survived by her sons Graham and Rennie (Kelly), grandchildren Michael (Sheila) and Lisa (Ryan) and great grandsons Jack and Tyler and great granddaughter Libby. Music framed her life and she took to it at a very early age. She possessed a sweet, clear soprano voice in perfect pitch. Her first platform appearance was at age 14 singing a Scottish song at the Robbie Burns Concert at the City Hall. While she enrolled in dancing lessons and was a junior member of the Regina Kiddies of World War I, all she wanted to do was sing. She attained her A.T.C.M. (Performers) by age 14 and won many prizes at the Regina Music Festival, including twice winning the Class A Lyric, the Leader class and the Chief Justice Brown Award. She was a brilliant academic scholar as well and won numerous awards including the University Scholarship and a Provincial Public Speaking award. She pursued her love of music by honing her obvious skills in singing and conducting at the University of Wisconsin, the Chicago School of Music and at Juilliard in New York. After completing her second year at Regina College, she obtained her First Class Teaching Certificate at the Regina Normal School. Her first teaching experience was at the Ifield School in Sedley, teaching grades 1 to 8. At that time the school had never had music as a subject or an extra-curricular activity. She organized a school chorus that practiced before classes, over the noon hour and after school. The results were truly amazing. The first year she took them to the Regina Music Festival the students won the Provincial Shield. The second year they were awarded a mark of 98, the highest mark ever in Canada, from the world famous conductor and adjudicator Sir Hugh Robertson. The photograph of the chorus was prominently displayed on the front page of the Leader Post. The caption was Rural School Children Sensation Marks Highest Known. Her third year of teaching she taught English, Latin and of course Music at Scott Collegiate. For four happy years her Class A Girls Choir won the Provincial Shield at the Music Festival. Their many achievements included concerts and operettas and in particular a three day production of the Operetta Blow Me Down, which played to sold out audiences at Darke Hall. Shortly thereafter Canada entered World War II. Jean married her sweetheart Dr. George Bradley and moved with him to Saskatoon where he was in charge of the R.C.A.F. Hospital. She soon gave birth to her sons Graham and Rennie. A wonderful wife and mother, she still managed time to be President of the Officers Wives Auxiliary, to organize and sing at many concerts, including Sunday concerts for the troops at the Capitol Theatre and to take the lead role in the yearly Oratorio. She spent the last year of the War in Yorkton, where she again was President of the Auxiliary and continued the tradition of Sunday concerts for the airmen. After the War, she and George returned to Regina. She opened a very successful vocal studio. Her students won numerous Class A competitions. At this time she had her own program on C.B.C. In co-ordination with the Gyro Club she organized an ensemble that sang at numerous local events, performed regularly on C.B.C. and consistently won their class at the Regina Music Festival. She was also the lead singer in several Regina Lyric Light Opera productions as well as Gounod's Faust presented by the Regina Conservatory. She was guest soloist with the Regina Symphony Orchestra on three occasions. She also excelled at administration and was the first female Provincial President of the Saskatchewan Music Association and the first president of the Regina Kinette Club. She was active in the Women's Musical Association, the Wascana Curling Club and the Canadian Club. During the 1960s she taught English and Music at Sheldon Williams and initiated what has been a dynasty in music at that Collegiate. She had met Oscar Hammerstein when she was at Julliard. It was therefore not surprising that she presented Oklahoma and South Pacific, the first Broadway Musicals ever given in Saskatchewan. She adjudicated music festivals from as far east as Winnipeg and as far west as Vancouver for over twenty-five years. Jean and George enjoyed traveling, especially to World Medical Conferences. They also enjoyed many happy summers at their cottage at Regina Beach. She and George were longstanding Roughrider fans and during the 1950s hosted annual get-togethers for the players and their wives. Some of the friendships from that era still survive. They also enjoyed the outdoors and in particular fishing and enjoying the marvelous lakes of Northern Saskatchewan. She was uncommonly passionate about her many and varied interests but in particular her music. She will be sorely missed by her beloved family, her many friends and all those she inspired over her long and illustrious life. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jean's memory may be made to the Grace Hospice, William Booth Special Care Home, 50 Angus Road, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4R 8P6 or Hospitals of Regina Foundation, Pasqua Hospital, Emergency and 4A Units, No. 225, 1874 Scarth Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4P 3Z6. A celebration of Jean's life will be held on Saturday, June 21st at 2:00 P.M. at Westminster United Church, 3025 13th Avenue, Regina. An online book of condolences may be signed at www.speersfuneralchapel.com.