BRADSHAW, THECLA MARY JEAN HARRIS (ROBBINS) On Christmas morning, 2005, Thecla peacefully left this world and moved on to her next adventure. She was predeceased by her husband, Harry (Henry) Bradshaw and her sister, Mary Correll. She is survived by her daughters, Mary Oliarnyk (Nick) of Ottawa and Carol Ray (David) of Fredericton; grandchildren, Stephen (Hilary), Randa (Jim), Jessica (David), Benjamin (Marni), Daniel (Emily), Catherine (David), and Natasha (John); great-grandchildren, Ethan, Aimee, Alicen, David, Ryan, Malachi, William, Sophie and Georgia; and brothers Robert Marshall Robbins and Michael Morgan Harris Robbins (Mary). Thecla was born in Toronto to Harry and Pearl (Miller) Robbins. Some of her happiest childhood moments were spent during her summers in Muskoka. A gifted pianist, she won the gold medal at age 15 at a CNE Canada-wide competition for musicians of all ages. It was music that brought her and Harry together and they married in Toronto in 1940. In 1946, Harry and Thecla moved to Winnipeg with their children, eventually settling in Wildwood Park. Thecla was a strong swimmer, a practitioner of yoga, an avid outdoorswoman, an advocate for Native rights, a supporter of the arts, a rugged individualist, a musician, an animal lover, a journalist and a poet. During the 1950s, Thecla spent much of each summer travelling by canoe to remote areas of Northern Manitoba, pitching her tent in areas wherever she decided to stop and write. She published many articles on her observations in the Winnipeg Free Press and other publications. After the death of her husband in 1960, she briefly worked as a writer for the National Film Board in Montreal. In 1964, she left Canada for an extended period, often travelling on freighters, spending time in Singapore and South Africa, the West Indies and Chile. Upon returning to Canada in 1966, she settled in Saskatoon, where she edited the Northian Magazine for educators of Native and Inuit children, via the auspices of the U of Sask. Thecla also lived for a time in Souris, Manitoba, while preparing her book, A Cree Life: The Art of Allen Sapp. In the early 1980s, Thecla moved to Fredericton, where she taught piano and raised several beloved dogs. She was a devout member of the Roman Catholic Church. The family wishes to thank her friend, Pam Shields, for her unflagging friendship to Thecla throughout her Fredericton years, as well as the Franciscans with whom she was associated. Thank you also to the caring staff at Windsor Court, in particular the nurses. Visitation will be held at McAdam's Select Community Funeral Home on Wednesday, December 28th, 2005 from 7-9 pm. Funeral Service will be conducted at the J.A. McAdam Memorial Chapel on Thursday, December 29th, 2005 at 2:00 pm. Interment will be in the Kingsley Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Fredericton Music Festival. www.mcadamsfh.com