One of Chelmsford’s leading community stewards has died.
Perhaps best known as councillor in both Rayside-Balfour and the then-freshly amalgamated City of Greater Sudbury until 2006, Ronald Bradley died on Nov. 3 at 90 years of age.
“The best way I could describe it is, he was like a little pit bull,” nephew Claude Gravelle told Sudbury.com.
“When he got onto a subject or matter, he wouldn't let go until it was resolved. He would keep going, keep going, keep going until it was resolved to his satisfaction."
After having served as a council member and deputy mayor for Rayside-Balfour, Bradley’s last stint as a politician stretched from the 2003-06 civic term, when he was elected as one of two ward council members in what was then Ward 2 in the City of Greater Sudbury.
Reconfigured under the present-day 12-ward system in 2006, Bradley ran in Ward 4 and lost to Evelyn Dutrisac, but still managed to secure a second-place 22.9-per-cent of the vote.
Bradley was a founding member of the USW Local 6500, ending his career as a shift boss for INCO, and also helped found the Senior Craft Shop in Chelmsford, which is still in operation.
“It’s important for everyone because it’s a gathering place for seniors, open six days per week, and we do all kinds of projects in there,” said Gravelle, who is a member of the shop, which has been in operation at its present location since 1993, after an initial stint in an old school’s portable classroom building.
Regardless of whether he was in politics at any given time, Gravelle said his uncle did whatever he could do to help people.
“If somebody had a problem, especially a municipal problem and something to do with the city, he would fight for them,” said Gravelle, himself a retired politician who served as the NDP MP for Nickel Belt from 2008-2015. “If it was a problem they couldn’t resolve, he would say it … but if there was a chance that it could get done, he would fight until it got done.”
Still living at home in Chelmsford during his final months, Gravelle said his uncle found himself needing more help than before, which Gravelle joined others in being eager to do.
“There was never any hesitation, because he helped everybody, and now it was our turn to help him,” Gravelle said.
Like clockwork, family members could always expect a phone call from Bradley on their birthdays.
“He was a good person,” Gravelle said, adding that his uncle’s lasting legacy in Chelmsford would be “helping people,” alongside various points of advocacy such as four-laning the highway between Sudbury and Chelmsford and opening the Senior Craft Shop.
Bradley’s obituary notes that he was also a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, served on the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, Paroisse St-Joseph, Sudbury’s Regional Planning Board and the Nickel District Conservation Authority.
He is described as husband of the late Fernande (Duguay) Bradley and of the late Marielle (Gratton) Bradley. Son of the late Isaac and of the late Rosée (née Rhéaume) Bradley.
He is the father of Nelson Bradley and Suzanne Bradley, both of Chelmsford, and was predeceased by his son, David (Rose of Chelmsford). He is also credited with being the cherished grandfather of Joël, Éric, Kayla and great-grandfather of Tyson, Joël, Regan, Caleb, Mathieu, Noah and Mika.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Nov. 15, at 11 a.m. at Paroisse St-Joseph, Chelmsford. Bradley’s obituary notes that donations to Paroisse St-Joseph would be greatly appreciated.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.