It was so sad to hear of the passing of my friend Billy Humphries. I first met Billy in the mid 1950's, nearly 70 years ago. We kicked football in the streets of North Belfast. We then played together for a number of years for the 48th BB Old Boys football team. We had a good team. Billy was a fine footballer, much better than me. Billy and his family were guests at my wedding to Isobel in September 1965. I missed him when he went to England, then New Zealand and finally to Halifax Nova Scotia. When Billy would come back to N.I. for a summer break he always made time to catch up and we would reminisce about old times together. My wife went into a nursing home in April 2022 and in the summers of 2022 and 2023 Billy made a point of going to see Isobel and give her physio exercises to help with her arthritis. Billy was one of life's finest gentlemen and it was an honour to be his friend. Deepest sympathy to Renee and the family circle.

WILLIAM ANDREW HUMPHRIES

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of my brother-in-law and Andrea’s uncle, Billy Humphries.

We have been friends for nearly seventy years and spent many hours honing our fitness and skills on the soccer field. Billy has always been a fervent supporter of Andrea during her career in field hockey and was totally committed to his friends, colleagues and especially his profession. He was a very caring person, always willing to share his knowledge and offer his professional advice.
His visits home will be missed by our families, his former colleagues, and teammates, who very much enjoyed meeting up to reminisce and hear all his latest news.
Our families are comforted in the knowledge that Billy is with his Lord and Saviour and will have a wonderful reunion with his father Andrew, mother Martha and sister Eleanor.

With our deepest sympathy and condolences to his sister Renee and her family.

Ian McLean and Andrea McCullough

My sincere condolences to Bill’s family and friends. 
Our careers crossed paths when he ran a spinal research project from Australia in my clinic in Dartmouth. 
He was also a good coffee companion.
Fondly remembered.

Helen Sweett

Our condolences to Billy's family.. He was a kind and caring man who was not only a great physio but also a good footballer who had many a travel tale to tell..
As a physio he took the time to not only explain what he was doing but also why,  complete with an explanation about the muscles...  all whilst sticking accupuncture needles in.
The years playing football together were fun and the chat over a beer or two after the game made many an afternoon.
Thanks Billy for all the memories; sorry we never got together for that coffee we spoke about on the phone earlier in the year.

In the early eighties, I read about a Bill Humphries in The Chronicle Herald.The article was about a "new" treatment that had come to Halifax: acupuncture. At the time, I had been receiving traditional treatments for a tennis elbow, all to no avail. I decided to give Bill a try and that proved to be one of the best decisions of my life. No t only for that elbow but also ,for the many joint problems and mishaps that  Bill treated me for over the next forty years. Also, along  the way, Bill schooled me in ways to manage my chronic bad back. I will be forever grateful.
In 2015, I had a nasty fall and busted my shoulder. After the initial cleanup,so to speak, at the Halifax Emergency,I was referred to a top shoulder specialist. His assessment was final. Surgery was absolutely necessary ;otherwise, I would never be able to raise up my arm again. I knew I had to consult Bill first. After much scrutiny, Bill felt that I might be able to avoid surgery .Over the next months, Bill with his vast knowledge,wide experience,practiced skill and incalculable devotion enabled me to do just that. I still remember our victory moment on the day I reached that arm to the sky! Early on in our forty year relationship, I came to know Bill the physiotherapist as a curious and keen observer of life,an engaging conversationalist and an interesting story-teller. His  humanity and humility touched me deeply. 
It is hard to say goodbye to those bright eyes,to that voice with a ready laugh and, to hear him say "how have you been..."

I knew Bill as a friend and colleague for over 40 years. He was the first one to call me and ask how I was doing through my cancer treatment. We shared a lot of laughs and coffee over the years and I will miss him.

Bill was my physiotherapist and helped me for many years. May he rest in peace.

My sincere condolences to Bill's family on his passing. He treated me for back issues starting in and around 2005. His healing approach was remarkable. He encouraged his patients to share their stories with each other. As I was healing and improving, we sometimes looked outside the window to observe people's walking gaits. His smile and Irish accent are unforgettable. He was compassionate and dedicated.

Bill was my physiotherapist and had helped me over the years.  God worked through Bill's hands to bring healing and recovery to many people like myself.  Bill loved his chosen profession and was so very enthusiastic about the science of everything.  Bill had a great sense of humour.  I always admired how in shape he was from his stories of hiking and bicycling.

Bill was a caring and generous man, who lived a very full life. With his extensive world travel, broad education, and insight into most topics Bill was always eager to invest his life into the people around him.  Always a man of faith, he grew even more in love with Jesus in his final year, and found that Jesus met him in his times of need. Now he is at home in glory with his Saviour.  It was a joy to know you Bill. You will be missed.

Bill was definitely a unique character. I am so sorry to hear of his passing. I met Bill a few years ago when he treated me and I have been back several times for different things. It always turned out to be more than just a visit, we talked of so many different things I enjoyed our times together.

Condolences to Bill's family and friends. I knew Bill well,  we played football together with Dartmouth United for many years,  he was also  my physiotherapist for my many injuries. He always had a story to tell, sometimes more stories than treatment.

We are truly truly sorry for your loss. My wife Donna has had physio from Bill way back in the late 70's. She reestablished a patient relationship in 2019 and visited him frequently todate until he became ill. We never met someone in his field (nor will we ever) who was so dedicated in helping heal his patients like Bill did. He was a hands on person with a keen mind always remembering what was said and done on our previous visit without ever looking on any notes or file. we were always so impressed with his knowledge of how the body functions and always taking the time to explain in detail how it works. He would even call us at home suggesting an exercise for Donna to do, to help her situation. Bill was truly a professional in his field and even though he was our physio-
therapist, we felt he was a good friend as well. He will be truly missed and never never be forgotten.

I only knew Bill thru my sister Rosie but he  was a lovely friend to her. God rest his soul - he is free to walk the universe 🥰

Please accept our sincere sympathy Renee, Bobby & family.
We were fortunate to have Bill as a friend for over forty years. Those special years have many wonderful memories shared with a talented humble individual,
Bill was an avid soccer player also being proficient at tennis golf badminton biking plus hiking excursions to Europe and South America. He loved them all !
Bills friendship with his Irish sense of humour and wit will lbe missed for sure .
Bill lived a full life meeting the unexpected challenge to the end.
RIP Bill.

Reg, Barb & Family

Ah Bill, I will miss you so much. So many years of laughter and stories,  coffee upon coffee, medical intrigue. Bill was one of the most empathetic people I have known. He had a special ability to connect with someone facing challenges and in a flash make their day better. His curiosity took him down so many paths of learning which he enthusiastically shared with his friends and work colleagues. His excitement over a new thought or idea was contagious and sometimes humorous, always thought-provoking. ("Em, did you know....?") Frugal yes, but not with his time or kindness, frequently volunteering his skills to not only Nova Scotians but in many countries around the world.   A wonderful human being, ever the optimist, full of love for this world and its wonders. I am happy to have been his friend and colleague for over four decades.

Bill was a dedicated professional. It was a privilege to have known him and to have worked with him. Pauline MacDonald

So sad to hear about Billy's passing, our condolences to his family.I first met Bill in 1980 when he started playing for Dartmouth United, he had a slight build , but could ride tackles with the best of them. He was a definite asset to the club especially since was also a physiotherapist, he treated all the guys on the team. He was great character with lots of brilliant stories.I did some electrical work in his offices at The Medical Arts Bldg many years  ago, I didn't charge him anything, since he treated the guys for nothing. The next game he gave me a bottle Bush Mills Irish whisky, Bill wasn't frugal  all the time  lol. I was lucky to play along side Bill and we shared a ton of memories, If you passed the ball to him he would say "Oh ye did so ye did"... still makes me smile. He never wore shin pads, instead he would roll up a newspaper or a magazine and slip them inside his socks. Ref saw him do it once and pulled him up , Bill argued with him, eventually the ref relented. I'm glad to have known this gentleman ...RIP Billy

OBITUARY

William Andrew Humphries

November 15, 1943 – March 13, 2025

A.L. Mattatall Funeral Home

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