Bradley Gordon Whitford, Ph.D.

Shortly after the total eclipse of the moon on March 3rd, 2026, Brad, surrounded by his family, flew peacefully onward, to begin his journey across the vast universe he had spent a lifetime gazing up at with curiosity and wonder.

From his humble beginnings on a prairie farm in a Ukrainian community north of Winnipeg, to a 37-year career at Canada’s National Research Council (NRC) in Ottawa, Brad’s tenacity, perseverance, creativity and quiet wisdom, led him to succeed in all areas of the rich life he built for himself and his family.

As a young boy, he moved with his parents and two sisters from the family farm, to the metropolis of Winnipeg, where he blossomed and excelled in academics, sports and musical pursuits. While at St. John’s Technical High School, he played as a defensive back on the football team and became a Manitoba track champion with record-setting times. He enjoyed singing and performing in musicals and operettas; and swing dancing to live bands.

It was as a lead performer in a production of Carousel, that he met his beloved wife of over 67 years, Margot Macpherson. With his old Studebaker and a couple of cigarettes for courage, he successfully courted Margot and won both her and her family’s approval. They were married on May 10th, 1958.

At the urging of one of his sports coaches, Brad continued his academic studies at the University of Manitoba, obtaining a BSc in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Science. His areas of expertise led him to the beginnings of his career at the National Research Council in Ottawa, which co-sponsored him for a Ph.D. degree at McGill University in Montreal.

Supported by his wife Margot and with two young children in tow, Brad moved his family to Montreal, where a third child was born. Recognizing her sacrifices during this time, Brad later supported Margot’s retraining and return to her career as an X-ray technician.

Upon nearing completion of his Ph.D., the family returned to Ottawa and the NRC. Here, he subsequently led a team of researchers to push the boundaries in standards and measurement, with world-renowned and award-winning achievements that received special recognition by the National Research Council, the Instrumentation and Measurement Society, and others. Years in the lab were followed by a tenure as Group Leader of the Frequency and Time Group.

As a dedicated and loyal family man, Brad always made time to tutor his three children on their mathematics and science homework and projects. A ‘do-it-yourself’ man, he passed along his knowledge and nurtured problem-solving skills in the areas of gardening, building projects, car maintenance and electronics. Annual family vacations consisted of packing up a car and homemade trailer with camping gear and heading to the clear night skies and cold waters of Georgian Bay in time for peak viewing of the Perseid Meteor showers. Always a man of precision, his children’s cries of, “Are we there yet?”, were met with an ETA of hours, minutes and fractions of seconds.

He encouraged creativity, knowledge seeking and critical thinking. His grandchildren best remember his trivia quizzes at family dinners and his support of their numerous academic, sports and music activities. At soccer games, hockey games, track meets or musical concerts, Brad was there, camera in hand, ready to capture them in action.

The family home was always filled with music. Whether it was Brad’s diverse collection of albums playing on the phonograph, CBC Radio’s Saturday afternoon broadcasts live from the Met in NYC, an acoustic guitar he taught himself to play, or the old upright piano he refurbished, music was a constant companion. He joyfully led “Happy Birthday” refrains with added harmonies at family celebrations and contributed his singing talents to the Beacon Hill Singers community singing group. For over 40 years, he and Margot regularly attended concerts by the NAC Orchestra at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.

“I’ve come a long way from carrying buckets of water from the well”, he recently said. Indeed you have, dad, and in doing so you’ve inspired the next generations to pursue their dreams, overcome adversities, and to do so always in the company of music.

Brad is predeceased by his parents Walter and Paulina Wityshin (Manzuk); and sisters Marge (Bill Forsythe) and Anne (Hugh Oxholm). He is survived by his wife Margot; his three children: Cara Waters, Rod (Marion) and Blair (Lara); and five grandchildren: Rebecca, Michael, Nina, Annika and Kai.

The family will be remembering Brad in a private family gathering. Others are invited to honour Brad’s memory by making a donation to: Friends of the National Arts Centre Orchestra @ https://friendsofnaco.ca/ or by mailing a cheque made payable to: Friends of the NAC Orchestra, at: Friends of the NAC Orchestra, PO Box 4839, Station E, Ottawa, ON K1P 5H9.