Bill L.
Routledge of Tidnish Bridge, NS, 82, passed away at
Cumberland Regional Hospital on November 15, 2021.
Born in Amherst, he was the son of the
late Francis « Slim » (in 1971) and Inza (Simmons) (in 1974)
Routledge.
Bill’s main interest was
always ‘Hockey’. As a teen he played on
church and school teams and refereed Minor Hockey in
Amherst. After joining the Armed Forces in 1962 Bill also
started coaching Pee Wee House League teams in Oromocto and later in
Amherst for a total of 32 dedicated years.
While in the Armed Forces Bill was
posted to Germany in 1969 and for the next 4 years, he and his family
decided to take advantage of the opportunity and travel, visiting a
total of 10 countries. While in Germany he coached house
league hockey and was the Assistant Coach for a ‘Canadian
Forces Pee Wee Rep’ team that played in an international
hockey tournament in Holland. Three of the four years he was
in Germany he refereed Women’s Hockey & Broomball as
well. In 1982 he was presented with the ‘House
League Coach of the Year’ and in 1984 he was presented with
the ‘Volunteer of the Year Award’ at the Amherst
Sports Awards Dinner – special guests were Don Cherry and
Denis Hall.
Bill and Norma were also Cumberland
County reps for the Children’s Wish Foundation for many
years. Bill was in charge of registration for 5 Amherst High
School reunions and also volunteered at many ‘Relay for
Life’ events. Normally, at this time of year Bill
would often be seen with his Santa hat on and his ‘talking
Santa’ attending to a Salvation army Kettle at one of the
many local stores.
He is survived by his wife Norma
(Blenkhorn) of 59 years, two daughters, Gayle (Mark) MacKenzie of
Amherst NS, Kim (Henry) Ripley of Truemanville, NS; five
grandsons, Andrew, Justin (Jessica), Matthew, Scott (Amanda) and
Corey, plus one great grandson Skyler, brother Don (Verna) of Tidnish
Bridge, NS, sister-in-law Isabel of New Glasgow NS, brother-in-law
Keith (June) Blenkhorn of Amherst, NS, along with several nieces and
nephews.
Besides Bill’s parents he was
predeceased by his brother-in-law Scott (in 1974), mother-in-law Hilda
(in 1982), father-in-law Russell (in 1990), brother Jack (in 2012),
sister-in-law Shirley (in 2014), and brother George (in
2016).
Arrangements are under the care and
direction of Jones Family Funeral Centre,
70 Church St., Amherst, NS, (902 667 8777). Following
Bill’s wishes, cremation has taken place. Public
visiting will be held from Jones Family Funeral Centre on Saturday
November 20 from 1 to 3 PM. Wearing a mask, proof of double
vacation and government ID is required to attend the
visitation. A private family burial will follow at the
Fenwick Cemetery with Rev. Byron Corkum officiating.
In lieu of floral tributes, memorial
contributions can made in Bill’s memory to the Canadian
Cancer Society or the Children’s Wish
Foundation.
Sharing of memories and condolences may
be sent to the family by visiting Bill’s online memorial at
www.jonesfamilyfuneralcentre.ca or through the Jones Family Funeral Centre
Facebook Page.
1939 2021
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de William L Bill Routledge 1939 2021..
Décès pour la Ville: Amherst, Province: Nova Scotia