John Searle Bray

John was born August 2, 1930, in London, England. Losing his father when he was just a few years of age, he spent a rough-and-tumble childhood, impacted by World War II. He was sent to live in the country in 1940, where one of the more memorable moments was the day he and his friend were playing in a woods near a military base. Suddenly a bomber plane crash-landed in the field just beyond. American pilots came streaming out of the trees, yelling “Run kid, run!” – the plane had crashed with unexploded ordnance!

Life continued, of course, and, after finishing school, John emigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1948, where he worked as a Chartered Accountant. In 1956 he was introduced to a wonderful, beautiful woman, Estelle Elise, who had just emigrated from England to Canada, also. In 1957 they married, eventually having three children.

In 1967, the family emigrated to California, where John had been given work with the Flying Tigers. Life blossomed, times ebbed and flowed, as they always do. All sports were exciting to John, but tennis became a true passion. He played until just before his 92nd birthday, when a fall curtailed his activities. John always knew he would recover. And indeed, he did so, leaving this world to join his wife, Estelle Elise, on the morning of November 17, 2022. John and Estelle are survived by their three children, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

We will have a memorial service to remember him, on January 19, 2023, which will be held at Fairhaven Memorial Park in Santa Ana, California. The service will be at 10.00 am, followed by an informal gathering at John’s home, where lunch will be provided.

We ask in lieu of flowers or gifts, that donations be made in John’s name to St. Joseph hospital in Orange, or to the Wounded Warriors Project. Thank you.