William Thomas George Purvis

It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of William Thomas George

Purvis at Little Mountain Place in Vancouver On Monday May 15, 2023.

Bill will be greatly missed by his daughter and son in law, Mary and Alex Baker,

his beloved grandchildren, Daniel Baker (Raegan Fitch), Jesse Baker (Dr Lisa

Baker) and Amy Williams ( Douglas Williams) and his dear, great-grandchildren

Rowan, Cameron, Simon, Duncan, Lucy and Maude. He will also be missed by

the wonderful Care Givers at LMP with whom he had developed a loving bond.

Bill was born in 1928 in Winnipeg, Man., to parents Bill Sr and Daisy Purvis. At

the age of 16 he graduated from high school and trained to become highly

skilled telegrapher on the railroad, stationed in places like Sioux Lookout and

Jones, Ontario. His young years spent working for the CPR were filled with

stories of the Canadian wilderness for which he developed a vivid passion.

In 1947 he met the light of his life, Eileen Cavanaugh, who was visiting from

London, England. They fell in love, married and honeymooned on the West

Coast, staying at the Sylvia Hotel in English Bay, Vancouver. The Sylvia Hotel

remained a very special place for them for the next seven decades as they spent

many celebrations in that iconic building. They were so impressed by the West

Coast that they decided to find a way to settle in Vancouver. As soon as their

daughter, Mary Elizabeth, was born, they moved to the Coast and Bill took a

Railway posting in the North of BC. Not long after that, he took a job with

Empire Shipping and then Air France in Vancouver, to be close to home with his

growing family.

In 1956 they bought a house in West Vancouver which they loved and in 1959

they decided to move to England to be nearer to Eileen’s parents. In the UK, Bill

finally achieved entry into the creative field of advertising where he began

working in the Newspaper.

In 1963 they returned to Vancouver where he worked at the Vancouver Sun and

Pacific Press, enjoying a long fulfilling career until he retired at the age of 64.

From childhood, Bill was a talented artist and over the years he created a legacy

of many paintings. When he retired from Pacific Press, he was accepted into the

Fine Arts Department at UBC and he completed two years of hard study. He

loved both the challenge and the experience of working with young students

and they returned the affection.

Bill also was an avid rose grower and hybridizer, having developed many new

roses over the decades. He was a long time member of the Vancouver Rose

Society and the Canadian Rose Society and won many prizes at the various

shows. The first major prize was in Toronto where he won Best Red in show and Best Rose In show in 1966! An amazing feat, after having packaged and sent

the cut rose, Ena Harkness, down to Toronto for the Canadian National

Exhibition.

Bill was a member of the Canadian Foresters, the Legion and the United Church.

He had a love for the outdoors and a passion for our beloved Canada that set an

example for his family. He was admired by many for his integrity, and his zeal.

Bill was unique, talented and independent.

The family wish to thank Little Mountain Place for the compassion and care they

showed to our Dad every day of the two years he was there. We also wish to

express our sincere appreciation for the close attention shown to him by his

Physician, Dr Judith Hammond, whose support was immeasurable.

Bill’s cremated remains were interred in Capilano View Cemetery on June 1st,

2023.

A Celebration of the Lives of Eileen and Bill Purvis will be held on Saturday June

24, at West Vancouver United Church , 2067 Esquimalt in West Vancouver.

In lieu of flowers, donation to the Heart and Stroke Society or the Diabetes

Society would be appreciated.