GORDON (JOHN) BRAGG

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GORDON (JOHN) BRAGG March 26, 1922 - March 4, 2012 On Sunday, March 4, 2012, Gordon Bragg (89 Years) passed away suddenly, but peacefully at Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre with one of his daughters by his side after an amazing life of 90 years. Left to cherish his memory are his children - Susan (Jim), Pat, Margaret (Blaine), Barb (Rick), and Bob (Anne); his younger sister Helen; his grandchildren - Chris (Cissy), Jesse, Cory, Tessa, Rita, Shannon, Sam (Fran), Tyson, Leah, Carrie (Sean), Amber, Lucy, Rebecca, Charlotte, Suzanne; great-grandchildren - Monica, Emma, Mackenzie, Gabriel, Jorgia; and great-great-grandson, Jason; as well as many nieces and nephews located across the country. He was predeceased by the love of his life of 65 years, Marion (nee Gowan); his parents, Florence and Charles Bragg; his sisters Marjorie, Carrie, Peggy and Beth; and his infant daughter Julie. Gordon was born in Winnipeg, and grew up in Elmwood where his parents ran a grocery store (Bragg's United Grocery) on Henderson Highway. He was part of "the Old Maids", comprised of a motley group of five boys who began their friendship as children and lasted a lifetime - Merv Mussel, Joe Hector and Don Midwinter predeceased Gordon and Archie Orlikow (Winnipeg) and Skook Hembroff (San Francisco) managed to outlive him much to their surprise. When not working as a delivery boy at the store, or at school, Gordon and the Gang had many great adventures, the most memorable taking place at their fort (smoking cigarettes made of dried leaves), roller skating, playing tennis and spending weekends at Fraser's Grove, Dugards and Hoban's where they camped and attended the famous Saturday Night Dances. Gordon attended University of Manitoba graduating in 1943 with an Honours Degree in Geology. He met his future wife there, although he didn't know it at the time. He knew of Marion Gowan, who was also in Science at the University of Manitoba, but he didn't think he wouldn't ever have a chance with the beautiful, athletic, Science Lady Stick who also graduated in 1943. The only connection he had was when Marion needed to borrow a Science sweater for a year book picture and Gordon was the lucky man she asked. They met a few years later by chance in Vancouver where Marion was working at the Vancouver General Hospital, and Gordon was a Meteorological Officer in Comox during the war years. After a year of courtship (which Gordon meticulously documented on a small piece of paper that resurfaced by accident 60 years later), they were married December 27, 1945. Gordon spent summers during university working as a geology student in Bissett and upon graduation, since it was wartime, could either join the military or work on metallurgy projects that supported the war effort. He took the necessary courses to become a meteorologist and was stationed in Comox to do his part. It was on a weekend leave to Vancouver that he bumped into Marion and that was that. The next 65 years until Marion died in 2010, were spent living in a number of unique mining communities building his geological career, beginning with their first home which was a cozy log cabin on the shores of Island Lake in northern Manitoba. Always up for anything, his brand new wife suggested that she join him when he was sent there as a prospector in 1946, just three weeks after their wedding. The adventures at Island Lake have always been part of the Bragg archives and set the stage for an extremely interesting life. Other communities followed such as Bissett (again), Flin Flon, Dobie (Ontario), Flin Flon (again), Sydney and Adelaide (Australia), Flin Flon (yet again), Toronto and finally Winnipeg. Throughout these years while Gordon and Marion raised five children, Gordon was heavily involved in community work, (including the Bissett and Flin Flon School Boards for a time and just recently until he died, the President of his Condo committee) and continued to keep active with canoeing, tennis, golf, curling, and badminton. He is also the current undefeated champion of crokinole as of Christmas 2011. In Bissett Gordon's piano playing was discovered and he often entertained at Saturday night dances. Many stories about the happy times as newlyweds in Bissett have been told around the Bragg household including crazy trips to Winnipeg on iffy winter roads, neighbourhood costume parties, the arrival of indoor plumbing and development of lifetime friends. Sad stories too, including the death of their first born child, Julie, after just 13 months. With Marion and new baby Susan, Gordon moved to Flin Flon where his geological career took off working for Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co. A highlight of his career was when he was in charge of the diamond drilling program in a number of locations around Flin Flon and Snow Lake in 1953-54 using a new strategy of Saturation Geophysics , when discoveries he made became the Coronation Mine and most notably, the Chisel Lake Mine. Gordon's story of the moment when he and a student geologist realized what they had found at Chisel Lake would bring tears to his eyes on every retelling. Four more children, many stories and nine years later, as a geologist does, he moved his family to a small community (Dobie) outside Kirkland Lake, Ontario for new adventures. These next years would see him travel many summers to the Arctic, prospecting near Resolute Bay, which he describes as the one of the most interesting periods in his life. However, also during these years, Gordon and Marion received the devastating news that Marion had Parkinson's Disease which would ultimately become his life's work to care for the love of his life. His work took him back to Flin Flon in 1968 with a new company, Western Nuclear, which ultimately provided him the opportunity to move his family to Sydney, Australia as Chief Geologist for Western Nuclear, Australia. The stories took on a different twist which included 20 foot pythons, tea breaks, and camps in the desert. He returned to Hudson Bay Exploration in Flin Flon in 1974 and ended his career with them as the Eastern Canada Division Exploration Manager based in Toronto. It was in Toronto that Gordon became involved with the Parkinson's Society, as president for many years, work that continued in Winnipeg when he and Marion moved there post-retirement in 1995. He was a tireless advocate for people coping with Parkinsons from a governance level to fundraising, as well as starting and leading exercise classes for Parkinsonians in both Toronto and Winnipeg until the age of about 85 (which are still going on today). He and Marion inspired others to live the lives they were handed and face adversity head on. With the children all on their own and in spite of the progression of Marion's Parkinson's, Marion and Gordon enjoyed travelling the world and enjoying life together. Although they eventually packed up the Woods 7-person tent that had been part of the camping memories for 50 some years in about 1997 (although it is still used to this day), they continued to cross Canada by specially equipped van from Vancouver Island to St. John's Newfoundland to Inuvik, with various family members joining them for assistance as Marion's illness progressed. Although trips became shorter, they were still going on road trips together until Marion's death in December of 2010, followed by a few more with his children and on his own during 2011. He was planning another four week travelling adventure for the spring of 2012 when he passed away. As Marion's disease progressed, Gordon became her primary caregiver, and friends, family and acquaintances were awed by his commitment and dedication to care for her at home. Unable to move on her own for the last ten years, Gordon took care of her every need and no more love could be expressed between any two people than what we all saw by watching him with her. It was not uncommon for anyone who knew him to use the word Saint in describing the respectful, caring and endearing way that he made her life the best it could be. Although the majority of Marion's care was provided by Gordon, many home care workers became part of the family, for which the children are truly grateful. Gordon was always athletic, and was still playing tennis with his gang at the Winter Club until he fell going for a short net shot in November of 2011, at the age of 89. He played two days a week. He also had decided many years earlier, that he would swim lengths of the pool based on his age, and until the tennis fall resulted in a broken arm, he was swimming 89 lengths of the pool at the Winter Club. He was an inspiration to anyone who saw his commitment to healthy living. Gordon also kept up his piano playing throughout his life from the early days of community dances, to evening practise for his children to go to sleep to, to playing for Marion the songs from their courtship days. After retirement, Gordon surprised everyone with an incredible hidden talent as a wood carver extraordinaire. Although he always downplayed his talent, those of us lucky enough to see his work were awed by his ability to bring wood alive, capturing intricate scenes in relief that he felt particularly drawn to, caricatures of political figures in the round and spectacular 3-D pieces made from one single block of wood. He was always humble in his acceptance of the many awards his carvings won on a local and national level. One of his final legacies began in 2010 when he decided to write his life story which has provided even more insight into this incredible man. It was self published in 2011 and he was already documenting stories for future chapters. Gordon was a much loved son, brother, husband, father, uncle and grandfather. He was a role model to those who knew him (except for the stubbornness and at times lack of tact!) and a hero to many. His work ethic, his love of the outdoors and adventure, his desire to travel and learn new things, and his commitment to family have all been engrained in his children and a greater gift could not be possible. He taught his children what devotion really meant in his care for Marion for the past 25 years and the high morals and values that he espoused have made us all better people. He read two newspapers a day and until the end was able to converse in depth on just about any topic, current event or activity except technology which became the bane of his existence! He garnered respect from everyone he knew and set the highest of standards to which we all will continue to aspire. He was a great man whose long life was lived to the absolute fullest. There will be no funeral or memorial service, leaving friends and family to remember him in their own way, in their own time. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to Parkinson's research through the Parkinson Society of Manitoba, the Canadian Diabetes Association or Autism Ontario. His family will be forever comforted by the thought that he was truly at peace with the world when he found out he would not be long for this earth and with his last words.... "Death is just a part of life you'll be okay". We will miss him.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 10, 2012