October 25, 2023
Bill passed away peacefully on October 25th, 2023, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born in Greenock, Scotland in 1938, Bill was christened William John Bryce, after his grandfather and father. He came to Canada in 1947 with his parents, four sisters and brother: Paddy, Jean, Kay, Terry and Peter. He joined the Navy as a teenager, then went back to school and became a teacher. Bill married Joyce Stith and had a son, Peter, in 1969 and later two grandchildren, William (Liam) and Sabrina. Bill and his brother bought property on Ruxton Island, where they built a cabin and enjoyed summers with their kids.
In 1985, Bill married the love of his life, Maureen Cameron (O'Brian), and his family expanded to include her four children: Ian, Michael, Craig and Wendy and later 13 grandchildren, Christopher, Charlie, Tasha, Jack, Max, Henry, Chelsea, Brianna, Lucas, Zoe, James, Andrew and Caity. After working 12 more years as an art teacher, he retired with Maureen to Roberts Creek, where they bought and fixed up a house on the ocean. There, he volunteered at the Roberts Creek Library and at the Habitat for Humanity's Restore.
Bill, affectionately known as "BB", was beloved for his warmth, kindness and sense of humour. As a teacher, Bill left a lasting impression on his students, many of whom visited him and stayed in touch years after they had graduated and he had retired. Bill had a talent for artistic endeavors - from painting to woodworking and carpentry, to playing the guitar and leading campfire songs with his 15 grandchildren. He loved the ocean, and he also loved to travel, sharing many adventures with Maureen as they traveled the world together. Above all, Bill was a devoted and loving husband, father, stepfather and grandfather.
He will be dearly missed.
A private Celebration of Life for Bill will be held at a later date.
