William McManus

William McManus "Bill", was born in Scotland to Sarah (Wilson) and James. He immigrated to Canada in 1957 and became a longtime resident of the Halifax/Dartmouth region. He died peacefully at the age of 76 with daughters and close friends by his side. He was predeceased by his wife Helen (Jenkins) and his only brother James.

He was a loving husband and devoted family man to daughters Jean (Washington, D.C.) and Joan (Ottawa, ON); nieces Maureen, Lani and Heather; nephews Brian, Terry, and Kevin.

He retired from the Technical University of Nova Scotia, Minning and Metallurgical department in 1994. He held a membership in CETTNS; was an avid supporter of the troops; an honorary member of the Malagash Point Duck Hunting Association; active in local communities and neighborhoods as a talented musician and handyman extrodinare. This cantankerous old Scot will be missed by many.

There will be a visitation Sunday, December 14th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home, 217 Portland Street, Dartmouth.

The service will take place Monday, December 15, at St. James Church at 11:00am.

Burial will take place in Airth, Scotland at a later date. Family flowers only. Donation to a charity of choice.

FUNERAL:

Rev. Glenn McLean

Funeral Blues by W.H. Auden read by Brian McManus.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,

Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,

Silence the pianos and with muffled drum

Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead

Scribbling on the sky the message He is Dead.

Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,

Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,

My working week and my Sunday rest,

My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;

I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now; put out every one,

Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun,

Pour away the ocean and sweep up the woods;

For nothing now can ever come to any good.

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E-mail from Mary-Jane Leewis read by neighbour Liz Murray.

From: MaryJane Leewis

To: Joan McManus

Sent: Wed Dec 10 23:43:03 2008

Subject: a message for you and Jean

My dears,

My most sincere sympathy to each of you on the passing of your dear dad. He certainly was quite a character and we loved him dearly.

I have spoken to Alice this evening and she was so sad to learn of the passing of her buddy. She loved him, and truly felt him to be a great "grandfather" figure. I know that when Owen comes home this evening he'll feel the same way. We actually still have a wheel barrow that your dad made for Owen, it's in the garage and has therefore traveled across Canada and across the boarder too. Any guess as to the colour?? Hint...Blue.

Owen has come in and is saddened, his words. " I keep thinking of him as a pretty cool Grandpa"

Keith has been speaking with MC way up in Alaska, and from this side of the conversation I could tell of her sadness too.

For Keith and I your dad, along with your mum, were great friends and role models.

Joan, you and Jean are in our hearts and in our prayers. We know that your mum and dad are probably having a jolly good reunion.

blessings and love

Mary-Jane

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Eulogy for Bill read by Joan McManus

Welcome everyone – Jean and I are glad that you were able to make it today. Many people have sent word that, given the time of year and short notice, they are unable to make it today. That makes your efforts all the more special.

As part of his family it's easy to for me, his daughter, to say that first and foremost Bill was a family man. But I've also watched as people have adopted him as surrogate father, grand father, and uncle or simply as a friend. All have benefited from Bill's caring, stern and knowledgeable influence.

But he was our Daddy and Jean and I know why you all felt safe in his care and under his influence. . . It's simple really.

When I was a little girl I would tell anyone who would listen that “My Daddy knows everything.”

As an adult I eventually realized that I may have been a little too succinct as a little girl, but I wasn't really that far off.

Bill knew how to do everything practical in life, including how to enjoy it. That is why so many people have been drawn to him.

It started when he was young. As a child he helped his Dad poach small game and fish from the local estate; he learned how to sew and knit; he was a gymnast, and, an avid reader of history, global politics, mythology and the classics. Not bad for poverty stricken kid raised during a depression and food stamp era of WWII.

As a young man he made his living working in the coal mines; he attended technical college at the nearby Stow College to become an electrician and metallurgical technologist while also studying music in Edinburgh.

He wasn't all work and no play even back then.

He found time to ride motorcycles; he had a Triumph that required the assistance of a gang of hard talking friends to keep it in running condition; he played tricks on the village coppers with his brother; and, learned how to spin a girl across the dance floor at local dances.

Of course it didn't take long for this “cool” dude to land a bride.

They married in 1956 and stayed together until death they did part: 49-and-a-half years later.

Once married to her, he took Helen on the adventure of their life. They moved to northern Quebec and started their lives as immigrant Canadians in what could only have seemed like one of the coldest most remote areas of the world. But in Canada the sparse years of survival were over.

They enjoyed their lives here in Canada. True to his nature Bill never looked back. (He might even be a little annoyed that we're taking his ashes back to Scotland to place them next to Helen.) But Mother and Bill spent their early years in Canada enjoying life - socializing in curling clubs and local parties. My Dad was always the party accordion player – and according to Mother, he sometimes enjoyed the spirit of the moment a little too much.

Eventually Jean and I came along and we changed the McManus social calendar somewhat.

Although Bill never said so, I think mining town life was a little too hard on the family unit and eventually he took a nice nine-to-five position at the Mining and Metallurgical Department of TUNS.

While living this oddly stable and comparatively lucrative lifestyle; we spent week days in the city and weekends at the country cottage in Malagash. It was obvious he enjoyed the transition. He was a dedicated father always available for the school trips, to be a chaperone or mend any of life's little disasters. He was a loyal and capable husband, spending the last years of his life caring for Helen. Throughout these years Bill passed along his humour, knowledge and work ethic to many colleagues, neighbours and friends. He was always ready to lend a hand, renovate, upgrade, build a contraption or invent the best solution to any household problem or child's school project. He enjoyed every minute of his life and showed us all how work could be satisfying and fun.

You probably already know that the best way to befriend the McManus family was to have something that required repair or upgrade. That guaranteed Bill would be there.

If you're sitting here, you also know Bill was happiest when he could support his friends and family through the practical application of knowledge, or by creating a wonderful experience. He was the ultimate Mr. Fix-it. Although he wasn't one to discuss feelings or such “foolishness,” he continually demonstrated love, loyalty and determination through his actions. He may not have known everything but he exercised what he did know.

Bill was such a complex and humorous guy; it's easy to find yourself smiling when remembering him. And that is what each of us should do when we remembering Bill. Do not dwell on his recent illnesses because he was too proud and accomplished to be defined by that.

Unfortunately it seems like it was just last week that I stood here and asked you folks to join me in saying good bye to our Mother. Much has happened to Bill since then; not much of it good, so again I find myself standing here, thanking you for joining Jean and I in saying good bye to one of our parents.

Although Jean is the ultimate Christmas Fairy and I am referred to, by her, as the Grinch, we both recognize that this is the time of year you should all be gearing up to celebrate, and Bill would want everyone here to cherish and enjoy the opportunity you have to spend time with your families over the holidays.

We are very sad at Bill's passing. In fact we're heart broken. He was our Daddy.

But please celebrate the holidays in the spirit as he would - and for this year – do the celebrating for us. If that includes a little toy train all the better.