Passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends on November 19, 2024 at Toronto General Hospital at the age of 74. Loving husband of 50 years to his bride Lesley and special brother to Bette and Bob Mortley and Brenda and Dave Ginter-Gordon. He will be forever loved, missed and remembered by his daughter Jill and her partner Bill Bowman, son Rob, daughter Lee (legally a daughter-in-law but everyone knows he saw and treated her as his own daughter). We were honoured to be able to support him and spend time with him during his final days and return some of the kindness, comfort, and generosity he always showed to us. Bill leaves behind many heart-broken nieces and nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law and his two favourite small humans: Rhys and Davnait Gordon. There was nothing he loved more than joining the two of them for some backyard tobogganing, a swim in the pond, or a boat ride on the river.
Having grown up on a farm near Holstein, Ontario, Bill pursued a degree in recreation and leisure studies at the University of Waterloo in the early 1970s where he would meet and eventually marry the love of his life: Lesley Reid. He forged many lifelong friends during this time (Ace, Tex and Bon, Hawk, Notch, TT, Rick and Lou, Hound, Philly Gumbo to nickname a few), acquiring the moniker “Flash” along with his bride and a bachelor’s degree. Shortly after their wedding in 1974, the newlyweds headed to Oregon to pursue Masters degrees in their chosen field. No one is certain if this period was just an elaborate case study in recreation and leisure studies on how to have the most fun possible, but we hope both schools benefitted from his many insights on what it truly means to enjoy oneself…we know many of his classmates did. In Billy’s immortal words: Who has more fun than people?
Bill and Les started their own family in 1980 with the birth of their son Rob and added Jilly Beans in 1982. He relished the role of devoted husband and father, moving from Hawkestone to a home in Orillia in 1985 where they would establish deep roots and raise their kids. He taught his children the value of hard work, integrity, family, and friendship. Not only did he remind them relentlessly of how much they were loved and how proud he was of both of them, he put it on constant display for them to bask in. The consummate host, guests were welcomed with mulled cider in the fall, slushy margaritas in the summer months, or tall bloody Caesars for a brunch visit. Too many laughs to count were shared around Flash’s famous basement shuffleboard table and home bar – the setup was so successful that when they built their custom home for retirement, they created version 2.0 of the same setup…much to the relief of their friends and family, the shuffleboard nights could continue at their new abode and in the words of a dear friend, Bill Gordon could continue to melt hearts.
Bill had a long career at Georgian College which saw him take on many different roles and challenges from teaching to administration, developing international programs and university partnerships. A sabbatical at age 40 saw Bill relocate his family to State College, Pennsylvania to earn his PhD at Penn State University, forging deep connections which would see him return to State College for the remainder of his years, welcomed warmly each time by Dr. Alan Graefe and Dr. Frank Gaudagnolo. Diligent, clever, and creative, Bill always did his best to keep work fun and interesting. Building teams and consensus at the professional level was a strength of his; forging friendships on a personal level was his specialty. A smattering of his many Georgian College friends include: Boomer, Joanie Morgan, Howesy, Pat Lang, Bruce Hill, Double H, Brian Tamblyn, Midnight, Whits, Mrs. Higgy, K-Mac, Shelley Williams, Cherylyn Cameron and the Eaton Brothers.
Retirement came easy to an expert in recreation and leisure and saw Flash and Les move to their home on the Black River where they developed a tight-knit group of neighbours along East River Road. He enjoyed golfing, squash, skiing, fishing, gardening, cooking, travel, and proudly watching his grandkids participate in soccer, basketball, and gymnastics. He remained close with childhood chums Paul, Hank, and Murray, often dropping in to visit them while on the way to visit his mother in Mount Forest. One of Bill’s favourite places to spend time before and after retirement was on the islands of Georgian Bay with many dear friends from the following families: Shalof, Keefe, Brien, Anderson, Maguire, Nogradi, Dubois, Zwicker, Knight, and Flood. Many a foggy memory was made around a crokinole board listening to great music and enjoying fine food and drink, surrounded by the natural beauty of windswept white pines, granite, and sparkling fresh water. He didn’t mind losing, he just had more fun if he was winning.
With some health challenges over the last several months, it was amazing to see the outpouring of love and assistance from the East River Road crew: thank you Joanne and Rick, Ralph and Heather, Toni and Bill, Jacques and Judy (the original River Rats), Darlene and Paul - your help made the last few months so much easier, even if Billy didn’t always know how to accept it. A truly special thank you to Boomer and Heather for the many years of companionship, love, and laughter…whether it was simply sharing a meal, taking the dogs for a walk, or playing in the rapids, Bill cherished your friendship and we do, too. And to Brydon, his steadfast bid euchre partner – a special thank you for your decades of friendship, shared vulnerability and wit.
We rest easier knowing Billy G is enjoying a spirited game of cribbage with his treasured mother Lil, his dad Norm, and his Grandpa, followed by some fishing and shuffleboard with close friends like Philly Gumbo, Bob Eaton, TT, Uncle Pete and Razor. Let the 29 point hands flow and keep the fish biting. While things might be pretty sad here right now they just got a lot more fun on the other side.
A celebration of life for Bill will follow in the new year. Thank you, Dr. Aaron Barnett for providing years of excellent medical care and sharing a laugh with Bill at every opportunity – he always left your office feeling so much better. In lieu of flowers, a memorial donation can be made to the neonatal unit at Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.