Dr. John Bradley

John Augustine Bradley was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1931, moving with his family to Scotland aged four years old, after a period at White Abbey where his father James worked for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Living in Scotland, first at Dalbeattie, followed by Castle Douglas, they bought Moatwell House on High Street in Kirkcudbright where John enjoyed a happy childhood with his parents and three sisters.

At 8 years old he decided on the veterinarian profession, like his father, who had become District Veterinary Officer.

Working at Knockallan Farm on weekends was John’s earliest exposure to agricultural livestock. He enrolled at Glasgow University, and during summer holidays, Wigtown provided his first experience of practice, graduating in 1954 as MRCVS.

In 1955, aged 24, John had the honour of being chosen as Coronet’s Lad in Kirkcudbright’s Quincentenary Riding of the Marches, commemorating the Royal Burgh being granted in 1455.

There is a memorial at the Cenotaph in the town of Merrit, British Columbia, naming his uncle William Leo Bradley who lost his life in WW1 in France, so John had no hesitation joining National Service and rose to the rank of Captain with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, serving in England and Germany in charge of the War Dogs trained to search for landmines.

After two years’ service he worked as a locum in Buckinghamshire before applying to travel to Happy Valley Race Course in Hong Kong to care for race horses.

When the contract was fulfilled, he sailed from Japan to British Columbia where he worked for a Vancouver vet.

With the intention of returning to Scotland after travelling overland through Canada’s Rockies, he was attracted to a job in Alberta to work through the calving season for a vet who needed an extra pair of hands in the town of Acme.

John enjoyed his time there so much that he decided to set up a large animal practice in the neighbouring town of Strathmore.

He made lifelong friends there, often commenting on how helpful people were to the young vet who arrived in the small town.

He served on Town Council and became President of the Legion in Strathmore.

A new stage in John’ s life was marked by joining Agriculture Canada, first north in Peace River where he learned to fly.

He bought his own plane, a Piper Cherokee 180, and enjoyed many hours of seeing the Prairies from a great height.

At Lacombe Research station John worked on the importation of exotic breeds of cattle.

The good health and care of animals was a recurring theme.

He shared his life with dogs, cats and horses, and even raised a lion called Stanley who lived in the house with him.

He transferred south to Lethbridge Animal Diseases Research Institution where he was Head of Clinical Research with work focussing on Rabies in Arctic foxes.

Horses were always a great love of John’s from an early age when Clydesdale horses were used on the farm where he had worked as a young boy.

Owning and training thoroughbreds became part of his life. One of his favourites was “Chip of the Dancer”, a grandson of “Northern Dancer”. He said he could have retired 20 years sooner if he had never started with racing, but many happy memories made it worthwhile.

During a trip back to Scotland in 1975 John renewed a friendship with Mary Grace who was Coronet’s Lass in the same Riding of the Marches, whom he had met 20 years previously.

John and Mary Grace were married in 1977 and moved to Lethbridge.

He was awarded the 125th Confederation Medal at a 1994 ceremony in Calgary for his service to Canada.

In retirement John published his memoirs; “The Greatest Wealth”, replete with positive philosophy. He loved home, garden, and golf, living a full life till the advanced age of 93.

John accepted Mary Grace’s two teenage sons and cared for them as his own.

There are two grand-children and two great grand-sons that John got to know and love.

He will be remembered with great affection.

Sincere thanks to EMS and medical staff at Chinook Regional Hospital, cremation entrusted to Cornerstone Funeral Home.