William Olaf Baines

William “Bill” Olaf Baines, aged 59, passed away on April 29, 2023, with his family by his side. Bill fought hard to stay with his loved ones for as long as he could, but eventually succumbed to his illness. He was a loving father to his children, Zan and Amber, a devoted son to Sheila, and a beloved brother to Tannis (Brian) Wills, Lisa (Stuart) O’Connor, and Denise (Wade) Balbirnie. Uncle Bill will be dearly missed by Kim, Jared, Gavin, Nathan Wills; Kate O’Connor; Brandon, Ryan, Megan, Sarah Balbirnie. He was predeceased by his father, George “Dave” Baines.

Born in Peace River, Alberta, Bill was the eldest and only son of four children born to Dave and Sheila. He grew up in Ardrossan, Alberta until the family moved to Barriere in 1979 when he was 16. His childhood was spent happily with best friends: riding bikes, building forts, and teasing his little sisters. The move to Barriere created the opportunity for Bill and his dad to bond over the restoration of his first car, a 1968 AMC Javelin. It was perhaps this time together that sparked his life-long passion for cars, as over the years he would add several more to his collection of vehicles. He had little patience for idleness and played as hard as he worked. He enjoyed travelling, with one highlight being his trip to Portugal in 2022. He also visited India over the years, travelled to Jerusalem and did missionary work abroad. Locally, he took his family on a cross-Canada RV road trip, hiked the West Coast Trail, and spent weekends in the wilderness, kayaking with close friends.

Even more than his passion for vehicles, was Bill’s passion for the Lord. He turned his life over to Jesus as a young adult and his steadfast faith guided his journey from then on. He had a way of turning strangers into acquaintances, and acquaintances into lifelong friends, whether he knew them personally or professionally. Bill will be remembered for his capacity to be there for others, no matter what. “Hey! What up?” was often his hearty greeting when his phone rang. And it rang often because he was the kind of person you could truly count on. His heart was as big as his voice!

A Celebration of Bill’s Life will be held at 3:00 PM on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at Willow Park Church 439 Hwy 33, Kelowna, BC. Memorial donations may be made to the BC Cancer Care Foundation in Bill’s name at https://bccancerfoundation.com/why-give/beyond-belief/interior/

Bill’s family thanks Dr. Baxter and his cancer team for their years directly contributing to his ability to enjoy a good quality of life. The family also extends a special thank you to the caring and compassionate staff at 6th Floor West in Kelowna General Hospital for their kindness and support during Bill’s final days. Bill will be deeply missed, but his memory will live on through the many lives he touched.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.valleyviewfuneralhome.com for the Baines family.