Jean Bradley

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of long time Pender Island resident Jean Marie Patricia Bradley (nee Ross-Smith), our dear mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, mother-in-law, and friend. Jean was born December 30th, 1935, in Cornwall, Ontario, to Gertrude (nee Boucher) and Ashton Ross-Smith. Jean was the first child of the Ross-Smith family and elder sister to her two brothers, George and Ian. Jean and her family first moved to Pender in 1948 after her father bought the Menzies’ farm. The family lived on Pender for a few years, returned to Montreal, and then Jean eventually returned to Pender Island in the early 1960s to visit her father who had taken up full time residence on the island. While visiting, Jean met, fell in love with, and married Wally Bradley: they were married for over 50 years.

Before returning to Pender, Jean attended Macdonald College and McGill university in Montreal where she attained her Bachelors of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees. Having begun her teaching career in Montreal in both elementary and high schools, Jean became a long-time teacher on Pender Island in the 1960s after marrying Wally. The birth of her daughter, Carol, in 1963 meant Jean had to take some time off from teaching. During this time, Jean and Wally’s family grew with the births of her sons, John, and later, Jamie. Both Jean and Wally loved being parents and loved their children dearly. They welcomed many of their children’s friends to their home at Hope Bay and always enjoyed having plenty of kids around. Jean returned to full time teaching in 1976 and had a fulfilling and robust career. She retired in 1998.

Jean was always wholeheartedly involved in the Pender Island community, and throughout her life worked hard for almost every organization on the island: the Pender Island Hall Committee, the Farmer’s Institute, the Fall Fair, the Ladies Auxiliary to the Legion, the Rogers-Coleman bursary were only a few. Together with her father, Ashton Ross-Smith, and Professor Morrison, she began the Pender Post in the early 1970s. She truly believed in the common good, and if something needed doing, Jean did it.

Besides being a wonderful teacher and devoted mother, Jean eventually became a doting grandmother. She loved her grandchildren Megan, Michael, Graham, and Catherine, and her great-grandchild Wally with all of her heart. Jean loved nothing more than to bake for and with them, to read to them, to take them places, to play cards with them, and many other fun, interesting, and educational experiences.

Jean taught us a tremendous amount about life, but more than anything she taught us the true meaning of facing and overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds and tough situations with strength and courage, with grace and dignity, and with humility and care. Jean passed away peacefully on March 11th, 2021, at Saanich Peninsula Hospital where she had lived for the last five years of her life after suffering a severe stroke in 2015. Jean loved her family and friends dearly, and we her. Really what more is there to life than that?

A service for Jean will be held on Pender sometime this summer. An announcement will be made in the coming months.