Obituary for William Hay Howes
William Hay “Bill” Howes died on May 3, 2019 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in his ninety-fourth year.
He and his twin brother Bob were born on June 18, 1925, in Toronto, the sons of John and Sadie Howes.
After serving in the Canadian Armed Forces during World War Two, he trained in Institutional Management at the University of Toronto—and also became part owner of the Jolly Hunt Club, near Sundridge, Ontario, which was one of the great loves of his life.
On October 24, 1953, he married Dr. Merle Eleanor Luck. They celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary together—she survives him.
He worked at Britannia and Bigwin Island, both Muskoka summer resorts, for the Niagara Parks Commission, and then in Toronto for St. Lawrence Foods. He and Merle later became owners of the Badjeros General Store, and the area postmasters. Upon retirement, they moved to Clarksburg, Ontario, then Collingwood, before relocating to Winnipeg in 2018. A founding member of Parkwoods United Church in Don Mills, he was an active member of Grace United Church in Thornbury, where he was a Presbytery representative for some 20 years. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Probus Club. An avid curler, he played well into his eighties.
Family was at the centre of his life. He is pre-deceased by his sisters Helen Elizabeth Howes and Peg Moxon (Jack), and brothers Douglas (Pat) and Bob (Lyela). His sister Jean Cameron (Evans) survives him. He also leaves many loving nieces and nephews. He was a wonderful father to sons Craig (Sara Collins) and Wynn (Sharon), and to daughter Helen Halliday (Richard), and a loving grandfather to Seth Howes (Linda Langness), and to Austin and Douglas Halliday. He was very proud of his great-grandchildren, Maeva and Eliot Langness.
He was kind, resourceful, hard working, responsible, generous, and funny. He was also stubborn, though in a very good way, and accomplished so much in his lifetime.
A Celebration of Life will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 15, at Grace United Church, 140 Bruce Street South, Thornbury, Ontario.
The family would like to thank Richard Rosin Funeral Director, Ltd. of Winnipeg for their care and assistance in making arrangements.
Donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Grace United Church, 140 Bruce Street South, Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0 or to MADD Canada, 2010 Winston Park Drive, Suite 500, Oakville, Ontario L6H 5R7.
He and his twin brother Bob were born on June 18, 1925, in Toronto, the sons of John and Sadie Howes.
After serving in the Canadian Armed Forces during World War Two, he trained in Institutional Management at the University of Toronto—and also became part owner of the Jolly Hunt Club, near Sundridge, Ontario, which was one of the great loves of his life.
On October 24, 1953, he married Dr. Merle Eleanor Luck. They celebrated their sixty-fifth wedding anniversary together—she survives him.
He worked at Britannia and Bigwin Island, both Muskoka summer resorts, for the Niagara Parks Commission, and then in Toronto for St. Lawrence Foods. He and Merle later became owners of the Badjeros General Store, and the area postmasters. Upon retirement, they moved to Clarksburg, Ontario, then Collingwood, before relocating to Winnipeg in 2018. A founding member of Parkwoods United Church in Don Mills, he was an active member of Grace United Church in Thornbury, where he was a Presbytery representative for some 20 years. He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Probus Club. An avid curler, he played well into his eighties.
Family was at the centre of his life. He is pre-deceased by his sisters Helen Elizabeth Howes and Peg Moxon (Jack), and brothers Douglas (Pat) and Bob (Lyela). His sister Jean Cameron (Evans) survives him. He also leaves many loving nieces and nephews. He was a wonderful father to sons Craig (Sara Collins) and Wynn (Sharon), and to daughter Helen Halliday (Richard), and a loving grandfather to Seth Howes (Linda Langness), and to Austin and Douglas Halliday. He was very proud of his great-grandchildren, Maeva and Eliot Langness.
He was kind, resourceful, hard working, responsible, generous, and funny. He was also stubborn, though in a very good way, and accomplished so much in his lifetime.
A Celebration of Life will take place at 10 a.m. on Thursday, August 15, at Grace United Church, 140 Bruce Street South, Thornbury, Ontario.
The family would like to thank Richard Rosin Funeral Director, Ltd. of Winnipeg for their care and assistance in making arrangements.
Donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Grace United Church, 140 Bruce Street South, Thornbury, ON N0H 2P0 or to MADD Canada, 2010 Winston Park Drive, Suite 500, Oakville, Ontario L6H 5R7.