730 THE ADVOCATE
VOL. 79 PART 5 SEPTEMBER 2021
ance, this involved strategic escapes to spend time at the family cabin on
Gambier and periodically combining international business trips with holidays
so that family could visit places like New York, Geneva, London and
Nairobi and still have quality time with Bill after work hours.
It was evident that Bill forged a strong and lasting bond with his family.
The family were all hit hard by his passing even though with LBD they
knew this was coming. Tragically, as Bill was nearing retirement, his first
wife, Sharon, passed away. Sadly, Bill was also predeceased by one of his
daughters, Wendy.
Bill also found time to develop hobbies, which really flourished as he
approached and then transitioned into full-time retirement. His hardcore
hunger and passion for learning were now redirected into wood carving,
cycling, an increased involvement in the arts, being the gracious host to
many scotch tasting and billiards nights for friends and family at this home,
and lots of international and domestic travel—but now entirely personal.
It was through his participation in a cycling group that Bill had the good
fortune to meet Diane, whom he later married in 2013. As mentioned to me
by one of Bill’s daughters in referring to his two marriages: “Diane is so
lovely, and for Dad to have had two such incredible women in his life really
means he must have done something right.”
With Diane, Bill enlarged his family to include Diane’s children, who live
in the U.K. and Ottawa, where Bill and Diane would visit. Diane also lost
her first husband to an untimely passing. The pastor at Bill and Diane’s wedding
observed this about Bill and Diane coming together later in their
lives: “Most people see the trajectory of life move in a negative direction,
from birth to death, but for Diane and Bill this is a wonderful example of
how both have lived through grief and now have been pleased with joy.”
Bill and Diane and their expanded family had many happy years together
before Bill’s LBD started to invade Bill’s mind in a serious and terribly unfair
way. Diane became a dedicated and designated essential care giver for Bill
as he progressively suffered with LBD in a long-term care facility during the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Bill is dearly missed by many friends, former colleagues and of course by
his loving family.
Robert Shouldice