Early in the morning “Bill” lost his battle with bone cancer, having had prostate cancer 22 years earlier. He had been wheelchair bound since 2005, after suffering the first of several strokes. Bill was the son of Maurice William and Jesse and brother to Jack (1982), Elizabeth Haythornthwaite (Elora) and Joan McDonald (late Don) of Fergus. He was the loving husband of Marion Walker Ellis (King) and former husband of Yvonne Cook, mother of his five children: Deborah Watson of Burnaby, BC., Valen Watson Caseres (Bob) of San Pedro, CA., Cindy Leigh Cohn of Mount Shasta, CA., Peggi Garner (John) of St. Catherines and Will Watson (Arlene) of Burnaby, BC.: step-father to Kimberley Walker of Chatsworth and Heather (late Timothy) Walker of Tecumseh. Bill will be fondly remembered by his grandchildren: Eric Watson Hurtig of Vancouver, Adam Watson Hurtig of Arizona, Chantal Gagnon of Burnaby, Mimi Caseres of San Pedro, Eli Cohn of Mt. Shasta, Peter Garner of Toronto, Jordan Garner (Jessica) of Mississauga, Rebekah, Zachary and Luke Watson of Burnaby and Scott Walker of Tecumseh. Two recent additions are his great-grandsons, Jonathan (2) and Thomas (3 months) Garner. He also leaves nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends around the world.
Bill was born in Toronto, grew up in Cooksville and Toronto, graduatedfrom Humberside and joined the RCA medical corps in WWII. After the war he trained as an accountant, working with Proctor and Gamble before becoming VP of Finance at Pitney Bowes. Tennis, golf, curling and bridge were his pastimes. He called himself “avid but average” at them. After his stroke(s) he took up Sudoku and crosswords. Good mainstream jazz was something he really appreciated and how he met Marion. Their summer jazz parties became great jam sessions and reunions in Richmond Hill.
For the past three years, Bill has lived in long-term care, first at Leisureworld in Richmond Hill and then in Unionvilla where he became VP of the Residents’ Association until his death. We are so grateful to both staffs for their patient and encouraging help with Bill, who was not always so patient. Thank you all, so much.
Bill has been cremated and there will be a memorial service and reception at a later date, when current medical problems allow all of his family to attend. (As Bill would say: TBA).
If you wish to make donations to Unionville Home Society, Cancer Society or Heart and Stroke that would please Bill. He considered flowers a waste of money.
Jerrett Funeral Home, Vaughan Chapel, 8088 Yonge Street, Thornhill, ON., L4J 1W3 is in charge of arrangements: 905-889-8889. Tributes can be left on this website.
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