HENRY, William (Bill) James -
'I am the resurrection and the life. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies, he will live. And whoever lives and believes in me will never die.' John 11:25-26
It is with great sadness that the family of William James Henry announces his passing on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019. William was the eldest son of Robert W. and Beverley A. Henry. William James Henry was named after his paternal great grandfather.
Bill was known for his unbridled enthusiasm, unfailing sense of humour, and for being a pillar of advice and guidance among his family and friends. He demonstrated exemplary bravery, perseverance and optimism.
He will be lovingly remembered as a wonderful brother and best friend of his sister, Elizabeth Henry-Walford (Rob) and his brother, Michael Henry (Jerel). He will be remembered with love and gratitude by his nephews and nieces, Matthew and Patrick Walford, Clare, Margaret and William Henry. Bill will be greatly missed by his partner, Michelle Ryan.
Bill was blessed with a wonderful group of steadfast friends with whom he enjoyed skiing, golfing and cycling. He enjoyed an exceptional friendship with Gregory (Greg) Petkovich, who he met in high school. Greg was with Bill and the Henry family, on every step of this difficult journey. The Henry family wants to thank all of Bill’s friends who provided unwavering love, support, prayers and compassion for him.
In addition, the Henry family want to thank the medical doctors and caregivers in Seattle, New Jersey and Toronto, who worked so hard on Bill’s behalf. Drs. Paul Nghiem, Shailender Bhatia, Song Park of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Dr. Ann Silk of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Jennifer Bryan R.N. of Rutgers Cancer Institute; all of whom demonstrated a pioneering spirit and dogged exploration of all possible outcomes.
A native of Toronto, Bill attended Royal St. George’s College (RSGC) from grade 4 to 13. RSGC was a wonderful place for academics, sports and extracurricular activities. Bill was head of the debating team, an avid swimmer and School Prefect in his graduating year. Summers during high school were spent at Kilcoo Camp, where Bill developed a great appreciation for camping, canoeing and other outdoor activities which would remain with him all his life. One of the best summer jobs Bill had was working with his brother on a dairy farm near Cheltenham. Bill learned the value of hard, honest work and resourcefulness from his employer. The pay was minimal, but the experience was priceless.
Upon graduation from RSGC, Bill was accepted to St. Michael’s College, University of Toronto. Bill along with his brother and sister, were the third generation of Henry family who graduated from U of T. Bill was very involved in numerous clubs and activities including the Hart House Debates Committee. Fortunately, Bill, Elizabeth and Michael all attended St. Michael’s in overlapping years, which created many happy memories of their days together.
After graduation from U of T, Bill entered the MBA program at the University of Windsor. Bill worked for Nomura Securities in Tokyo, Japan. Bill travelled extensively throughout Japan visiting the cities of Kyoto, Nara and Osaka. One highlight of his trip was when Bill climbed Mt. Fuji.
Bill graduated from the University of Windsor and joined the TD Bank Financial Group where he worked for 28 years in a variety of roles. Most recently, Bill worked as a Senior Financial Planner for TD Wealth. Bill felt very fortunate to have earned the trust and confidence of hundreds of clients. During his career at TD Wealth, Bill excelled at investing and financial planning.
Education was very important to Bill who was continuously striving to learn more. During his career, Bill completed three financial planning designations including the CFP (Certified Financial Planner), CIWP (Chartered Investment Wealth Professional) and FMA (Financial Management Advisor).
Outside of work, Bill was a lifelong member of the Granite Club where he enjoyed participating in many different activities with friends and family.
Bill enjoyed traveling extensively in North and South America, Europe and Japan. Bill believed that travel provided an excellent education and a window from which to view the world.
A passionate and accomplished downhill skier, Bill was a 25-year member of the High Park Ski Club. He was a CSIA 2 ski instructor and enjoyed teaching and skiing across North and South America. Bill’s favourite ski experience was heli-skiing in Telluride, Colorado, with his good friends.
In recent years, Bill helped children with special needs, as a ski instructor in the Special Olympics program at Earl Bales Ski Centre. He was immensely grateful for his opportunities and was delighted to give back to others.
'A man's reach must exceed his grasp or what's a heaven for?' (Browning)
There will be a visitation at R.S. Kane Funeral Home located at 6150 Yonge St., Toronto, on Monday, March 25, 2019, from 3-6pm. A Funeral Mass will be held at Blessed Sacrament Church located at 24 Cheritan Avenue, Toronto, on Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at 10:30am. Following the funeral service, there will be a private interment.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Terry Fox Foundation or to Royal St. George’s College, 120 Howland Avenue, Toronto.
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