William Edmund MacLennan

Born in New Glasgow, he graduated from Queen Elizabeth High (Halifax). The family dairy and butter-making history led him to the Truro and Ontario Agricultural Colleges, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Dairy Science. He was grateful that his first job took him to Brookfield Dairy in Sydney, where he met Georgie MacDonald, his wife for the next 58 years.

They moved, in 1952, to Halifax for Bill to take a position with Farmers Ltd., located then on Windsor Street in Halifax. Farmers' was acquired by the new Twin Cities Co-operative Dairy Limited in 1961. He held many management and leadership roles over the next 30 years, times of significant change, including building the new Bedford plant.

In 1981, he was appointed President and CEO of Farmers Co-operative Dairy. After retirement in 1988, he took on the role of CEO of the Atlantic Institute of Biotechnology (AIB). Over the years, he was very active in industry and community initiatives including Chair of: National Conference Planning Committee, Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology; Canadian Institute of Fisheries Technology Advisory Board; Scottish Societies Association; North British Society; Ethiopia Airlift-Adopt-A-Village; Canadian Co-op Association (CCA) International Program Committee; VG Hospital Foundation; Nova Scotia Dairy Commission; and Voluntary Planning (VP) Economic Strategy Core Committee-VP released "Creating our own Future: A Nova Scotia Economic Strategy" in 1991.

Bill was delighted to have the opportunity to tour Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand as Chair of the CCA, International Program Review Committee and India for related development work. He served as a Director of Dover Mills; Nova Scotia Research Foundation Corporation; National Dairy Council of Canada; CCA; VG Hospital Board; and Silvagen Inc. With his wife, Georgie, he was a leader at St. Matthew's United Church over more than 60 years. He was Sunday School Superintendant in the '50s and '60s and held various roles over the next 30 years including, among others, Chair of the Board of Stewards, and, in 1999, he chaired the 250th Anniversary planning committee. He was a member of St. John's Masonic Lodge No. 2 for 62 years and received many awards, including the Meritorious Service Medal. As Lodge Historian, he received the long-time service award.

He was predeceased in 2011, by his beloved and much-missed wife, Georgie; his parents, R. Murray and Muriel (Mosher) MacLennan. He was a proud descendant of Alexander and Nancy (MacKenzie) MacLennan, who emigrated from Ross-Shire, Scotland in the early 1800s. They settled in Rogers Hill, Pictou Co., where the family homestead property remains today, proudly preserved by Bill and his family for future generations of the descendants of Alexander and Nancy.

He is survived by daughters, Donna Salter (Wayne) and Susan Dale MacLennan; his beloved granddaughters, Meghan (Eddie) and Ria (James) White; brother-in-law, Gordon (Bernice) MacDonald of Sydney; niece, Wendy (Rod); nephew, John; and his sweet cat, Princess. As an only child, Bill was so happy that others had larger families so he could enjoy the many cousins, who were like brothers and sisters to him.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia or QEII Health Sciences Foundation or any charity of choice. We wish to thank the staff of the EMC/EHS responders, the QEII emergency room and Unit 7.4 staff, including Dr. Gubitz, for their care of Dad in his last week. Sincere thanks as well to all the wonderful staff at the Berkeley Gladstone for their support of Dad over the past four years.

Visitation will be held Friday, August 26th from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. in J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Dr., Halifax with a Masonic Service at 7:30 p.m. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, August 27th in St. Matthew's United Church, 1479 Barrington St., Halifax, with a reception to follow in the church hall. After the reception, the family will proceed to Lockerbie Memorial Cemetery, Tatamagouche for interment.

Oh, my heart is sad for leaving you today,

But I know we'll meet again,

When the sun is in the valley,

And the leaves are on the trees

And we come to ceilidh in the glen.