I stand here today doing something that I thought I never expected to be doing in my lifetime. Giving a Eulogy for my little brother.
Today is a day for us all to celebrate his life with his family and friends and remember the man, father and local businessman.
Bradley Potter ..known to his family and friends as "little bear"
That later changed to "canoe head"
Let me take a moment to tell you about this man, this brother, and this dedicated father.
Let me share with you how my little brother turned into man.
Life began for Bradley December 1,1971 in Rocky Mountain House Alberta. The youngest of 5 kids born into the Potter family. Ernie and Shirley Potter welcomed their bundle of joy into the family and from the day one that kid was the "baby".
As many of you may know, being the baby of the family, Bradley got the treatment reserved for the youngest, by both Ernie and Shirley. Bradley got his mother's attention and love and his father's patience and zest for building things.
Growing up with young Bradley was a pleasure and a HUGE pain in the ass for us older kids, as it should be for a family of our size. But being the youngest, the 4 of us older kids never thought we would be saying goodbye to him first at the age of 40.
My brother growing up was as strong as an ox and as brave as little soldier.
Let me tell you some quick stories about our childhood growing up...when Bradley and I were little kids ..he was 3 at the time. I was 4.5 at the time, we had a baby sitter in Calgary who would feed us kids nothing but vegetable soup w/milk. One day Bradley and I got fed up with this and ran away from her..but not before we packed up all our Star Wars characters in our Tonka truck and headed out when she wasn't looking.(smile /wink) We decided to make our way through Calgary on our way to mom's work. (pause) We finally made it to moms work place a couple hours later...quite a sight to see to little boys walking through the city on their way to moms work.
Then there was the time we went tobogganing at age 12 and Bradley was 10.5. At the top of the hill with me on the front of the sled and Bradley on the back..my younger brother managed to push me face first down while pulling my arms back..somehow I had become the sled for him and that "little bear" rode me down that hill. Again quite the site to see..Bradley on the sled and the sled on me while Bradley held my arms. By the time we made it back to the house..I was a bloody bruised and swollen mess. He laughed for days ..I looked like a puffy chipmunk.
My brother was a huge practical joker and a typical high spirited kid who loved his family.
Brad had many nicknames, but his most memorable one is "little bear", which he got at a very young age. There is a long story behind that. In later years that changed to "Canoe Head"..but to me he will always be Bradley my little brother.
I remember standing up for Bradley and Pattie at their wedding as his best man. It is a day I will never forget. My younger brother had become a man.
It was a special day I wont forget all the special memories of that day Derek was only a baby at the time. As I stood there beside him, I thought to myself, my younger brother is a man now. I was so proud of him as I could feel the love between him and Pattie then that never dimmed. Bradley loved Pattie.
Brad and Pattie were married for 20 years and together for 22years this July. They were a match made in heaven Their love created 2 more wonderful children, now teenagers Amanda 17 and Alicia 15. Derek who is now 20 has been there from the beginning watching his parents love grow over the years. Brad and Pattie were the couple that we all admired. It was Bradley's legacy and their contribution to the community.
Bradley had deep passions for fishing, hunting and camping which he shared with his family.Brad's passion for quadding was very apparent to everyone who knew him.Brad was doing what he loved when he was taken from this earth unexpectedly. This is the way Brad would have wanted to pass from this earth.
The only passion greater than being in the outdoors was his family. He loved his family and their happiness was his priority. His wife was not only his partner but his best friend. His 3 kids were his world. He always managed to do everything he could for them. Mom and Dad always said, Bradley made family a priority. He always made an effort and extended his hand in friendship to those he met. He was and continues to be a very happy man.
Bradley always said "Family First"
He was a great father, husband, brother and son.
He was a compassionate friend to all.
He was a very hard worker and craftsman.
Bradley believed and was passionate about his work...and he was good at it. A firm believer in doing your work to the best of your ability not just for the customer but for his satisfaction.
He tried to always convince the rest of us to forgive and move forward...something he did not just in word but his actions. This made Brad a man of true conviction. Maybe we all should take a page from his playbook and live by his example.
Brad was and had always been a daredevil his entire life but more importantly a real practical joker with all from his young life....as evidenced by my scars from tobogganing. James scars from the barbwire fence, Cheryl's got the whoopee cushion or the fart powder in Dads coffee.
Bradley took a huge amount of pleasure in good natured teasing of his daughters all with a goofy smile on his space. One thing I know about my younger brother he's smiling now as he looks down on us from heaven. I bet he's even having a beer now while he's fishing with Grampa Metzger or a drink with Gramma Potter and Uncle Ron.
He was a man with many layers ...which I learned some very private things about my brother in the past 48 hours that make me smile. It helps us all know that life doesn't have to be always so serious and thank god for people like my brother who like to make it more fun.
Bradley liked that.
I know there are far too many stories and memories to mention. Far too many people to talk about and how Bradley touched their lives.
I just want to close things up by saying...my younger brother was amazing. He is what many of us want to aspire to in life.
Loyal, caring, a friend, a brother, a father and most of all a dedicated family man. My brother was a man of true character with a humorous side to him. All that knew my brother speak very fondly of him and a teastement to his character is the friends and family that have shown up to remember him. He will be missed by all.
He will be missed by his wife and children...coworkers and the sibilings.
I love you brother and save a beer for me when we meet again. You were taken far too soon. We miss you and love you.
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