Bill was born on October 13, 1936, in Guelph, Ontario. He had a lifelong passion for the ocean, ships and sailing which led him to the Royal Canadian Navy where he served as a Lieutenant. He held two master’s degrees, one in History and one in Education, and later became a high school teacher. He spent many meaningful years teaching at Cawthra Park Secondary School.
While in London, England, Bill met the love of his life, Chantal. Chantal was from Paris and throughout their marriage, they spoke both French and English interchangeably. They shared a beautiful, enduring love story and 65 years of marriage. Bill introduced Chantal to the landscape of Canada, exploring the West Coast in a camper before they eventually settled in Toronto, where they built their life and raised two daughters, Alexandra and Sarah.
Following his retirement, his curiosity in exploring different places never ceased as he and Chantal spent many wonderful years travelling all over the world together. Bill stayed active throughout his entire life, finding joy in long walks and exercising, and was rarely seen without a book. You could always find him along Yonge and Summerhill and he was especially happy if he had a dog by his side.
His granddaughters, Stella and Claudia, brought immense joy and fun to his life. He listened to them attentively and spent hours in conversation with them. Bill was also a wonderful father-in-law to Carmelo and Lisa.
Bill will be greatly missed and will never be forgotten, nous ne t’oublierons jamais.
In honour of Bill’s life, donations could be made to Toronto Western Hospital. We are very grateful for the care given to Bill.
