LITTLE, William Howard Little

It is with sadness that we announce the passing of William (Bill) Little on December 1, 2025, in Victoria, BC while together with several members of his family.

Bill was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on November 16, 1926, the son of William Stanley Little and Alice May Little (nee Brown). He very recently celebrated his 99^th birthday surrounded by family and friends. The joy of that occasion is now matched by the joy of remembering a long life well- lived.

Bill was the beloved husband of Margaret Ellen Little (nee Nagle), deceased. They were married for 61 years. He was the proud father of six boys: Kenneth (Teresa, deceased), Douglas (Susan), Patrick, Wayne, deceased, (Elise), James (Katherine), and Daneal (Christine). The proud “Poppy” of William (Stephanie), Nathan (Jodie), Rory (Holly), Brodie (Erika), Nadine (Mark), Elizabeth (David), Eric (Courtney), Nicole (Braden), Kate (Tanner). He was the loving great-grandfather of Gavin, Mackenzie, Sadie, Dion, Aiden, Owen, Oriana, Tamsen, Makenna, Willie, and Archie.

Bill started his family and career in Saskatoon after he received his engineering degree at the Chicago Institute of Technology. He married Margaret (Marg) on July 7,1951. Bill co-created Little-Borland Construction Company in 1950 and successfully owned and managed it until 1969. Little-Borland is reputed to have built nearly one third of the residential sector of the city during that period. Building houses in Saskatoon was Bill’s early passion. He was a gifted home designer and deeply committed to the development of new Saskatoon neighbourhoods, to the causes of community advancement, and to city social improvement. Bill moved his family to Victoria, BC in 1970. It was a brave move, uprooting his family, selling his company, and leaving his close friends. He worked for Pacific Pile Driving in Victoria until he started Roswill Holdings, a successful prize-winning construction company operating in the luxury housing market in Victoria. He remained the director of Roswill until his retirement.

Once retired, Bill and Marg turned their deep passion for family life to cultivating close and lasting connections with their children and, most enthusiastically, with their grandchildren. Family was at the centre of everything they did. It was their source of joy and strength. They dedicated their lives to nurturing a strong sense of love, care, and commitment to the family and friends, to adventure, and to enjoyment. There were endless recreational family projects: holiday camping trips, road trips, hikes, boating adventures, and nature activities. Wherever Bill and Marg were, they became the enthusiastic cheering squad for multiple sports and arts activities of their children and grandchildren. Their home was a constant hive of activity and celebration, and they always extended a warm welcome to relatives and friends.

At his core Bill was a storyteller. He cultivated the art of a trickster raconteur and took great delight in spinning yarns for his family and friends. Bill also started sketching, carving, and taking up various art pursuits in retirement, mostly as an extension of his story telling, filling his children’s homes with his works of art and craft.

Bill’s legacy and spirit will live through his example of love, laughter, and friendship. His motto was “Never make a bad friend”, which guided his approach to life. Bill could strike up a conversation with almost anyone and made many friends easily. Many friendships lasted a lifetime and proved to sustain him throughout his life. His example has provided his family and those who knew him with a model of how to live life with consideration, curiosity, joy, and kindness.

A Memorial Mass Celebrating Bill’s life will be held at St. Francis Xavier Church in Mill Bay on December 18, 2025, at 2:00 pm, with a short reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mill Bay Food Bank (www.cmcfoodbank.org) with which Marg and Bill were committed volunteers.

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com