Community gathers for Traynor memorial

By Courtney Bachar/The Oshawa Express/LJI Reporter

Loretta Traynor gave a heartfelt eulogy during a funeral service Thursday for her husband Chris and their three youngest children, Bradley, Adelaide, and Joseph.

“There are four wonderful people that we are honouring, loving and grieving today and we need to be here together… somehow together,” she says, adding she is “deeply grateful” for the support received from her son, Sam, as well as friends, family and the community.

“I have been blessed and moved so deeply by all that you have shared, family, friends, neighbours, and complete strangers, sharing their memories with me,” she says.

Loretta spoke of how social and adventurous Chris was, and how he loved to make people laugh.

She spoke of how Bradley always had a smile on his face.

“Bradley was kind, honest and loving and you only had to look at his face and the way he interacted with anyone to see that,” she says.

Loretta described Adelaide as a “firecracker and a flower wrapped up into one.”

“And then there’s Captain Joe,” she says, speaking of her youngest son, Joseph, who she says was born with a smile on his face and has “never stopped smiling since.”

She told stories of dance lessons, a recent family trip to Algonquin Park, and how Bradley had a different groan for every emotion.

“I have lost so many part of me that make me a better person,” she says. “They were the best of me. But with Sam beside me, and all of you supporting me, I have hope that those parts of Chris, Bradley, Adelaide and Joey, those parts that make up the best arts of me, can find their way back in.”

Chris, 50, Bradley, 20, Adelaide, 15, and Joseph, 11, were shot and killed in their home on Sept. 4. Loretta was also shot and is recovering; their oldest son, Sam, was away at university at the time of the shooting.

The shooter, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was later identified as Mitchell Lapa, 48, of Winnipeg, Man., a relative of the Traynor family and an uninvited guest to the home. The incident is still under police investigation.

Standing by his mother’s side during the service, Sam also shared a few words about his father and his siblings, noting the impact his family had on this world has never been more evident.

“I’m proud to say that I’m the son of Chris and the brother of Bradley, Adelaide and Joey. I’m proud to be a Traynor,” he says. “The happiness they brought us is greater than any evil. It is something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life. Let us remember the happiness with which they lived rather than the evil with which they were taken.”

A public drive past visitation was held on Wednesday for friends, family and the community to be able to offer a prayer or expression of condolence for the family.

Thousands of people lined the streets in support of the Traynor family as they left St. Mary of the People Parish on Stevenson Road in Oshawa and headed to the Resurrection Catholic Cemetery in Whitby.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Feed the Need in Durham.

A GoFundMe has also been set up in honour of the Traynor family.

“The Traynor family were beloved and active members of the Oshawa community. Their acts of kindness, love and generosity are unmatched. the impact the family had on everyone they touched will be forever remembered, the page reads.

to date, just over $182,000 has been raised.

The Traynor family says while they understand the desire for more information, they are asking media and the public to respect their need for privacy during this time.