William Taylor
1930-2020
TAYLOR, William Arnott
At his home the morning of Tuesday October 27, 2020, in his
91st year after a short battle with
cancer.
Billy grew up at 208 Eramosa Road in Guelph, back in the days
when multiple generations lived under the same roof. For Billy, this
meant sharing a tiny home with grandmothers, aunts, his mother and
sister. He and his dad had no lack of female influence…
like it or not.
Bill married Jane Anne Sutherland on July 17, 1954 and they
lived on Hillcrest Drive with Jane’s mother and their small
Terrier, Jock. Soon after, they moved to their own tiny home on Sumac
Place and started their family. And their family, including Scot
Terrier Tam O’Shanter, grew and grew and grew until it could
no longer fit into the little house anymore.
They moved to Carnaby Crescent in December 1972.
Bill’s new companion would be a miniature Schnauzer, Curt,
followed by a Blue Merle Collie, Blue, and then a Tri-Coloured Collie
named Chief.
Together, Bill and Jane raised 5 children. He was a devoted
husband, caring for Jane as they endured the adversity of her
rheumatoid arthritis together. After his retirement he honed
his skills as a housekeeper and cook.
In 2002, Bill and Jane decided to downsize and moved into
their condo at 19 Woodlawn Road where he could walk his faithful
companion Chief in Riverside Park. Bill made a great many friends in
the building. He loved using the workshop and always had a helping
hand for his neighbours. When Jane became a resident of St.
Joseph’s Health Care he transitioned smoothly into living on
his own.
Bill started working from a young age, starting as a
newspaper carrier and serving on city council as a Page from age 9 to
21. His work life included Cole Brothers, Harding Carpets, Dept. of
National Defense and Fiberglass Canada. He retired after 35 years with
the Federal Public Service at Environment Canada, Water Resources
Branch in Guelph and Centre for Inland Waters in Burlington. Post
retirement, he helped out at H&R Block during tax
season.
Bill was a member of the militia in the
11th Field Regiment from 1948 until his
retirement in 1977, with various positions in gunnery, transport,
administration and in finance as Paymaster and Accounts
Officer. He continued his association with the regiment
until 1984.
Bill was a long-time member of Knox Presbyterian Church,
serving as an usher for many years. He and Jane were commended for
volunteering as Block Parents for 25 years.
Dad ran his family like his own platoon, when he said JUMP,
we did not ask how high, we jumped as high as we could.[GU1]
But he also showed his love through action and time with his family.
We camped and travelled the country with the family trailer visiting
Expo67, the East Coast, the Rocky Mountains and New England. He also
enjoyed family trips to Florida and Cuba. In 1977, he acquired an
ancient little cottage at Sauble Beach. As with the Tour-A-Home
trailer, it was amazing to see how many people could fit into such a
small space. The tiny cottage has since grown. It was named
“Inn Complete”, as Dad had a terrible habit of not
completing projects. The name fit whether completed or
not.
Grandpa Bill was blessed with 12 grandchildren and then their
11 children (one more on the way) made him a GREAT grandpa. And he
lived up to the name. His grandchildren will remember being
tossed in the air, propelled by one arm while their parents quietly
gasped and the children screamed for more! In his last days,
it was hearing the voices and seeing the faces of his grands, which
brought him joy.
Dad liked Fords. He liked ice cream. His last meal was simply
a large bowl of chocolate fudge brownie ice cream. His favourite
colour was sky blue pink. He enjoyed a good bargain. He loved dogs and
babies. His favourite show was “Last of the Summer
Wine”, stopping all activities to watch it. He was a
whistler. He whistled to bring his kids home, he whistled tunes when
he was happy and he whistled like a bird, just for the fun of
it.
Bill was the devoted husband to the late Jane Anne
(Sutherland) Taylor for 60 years. He was the dearly loved Dad of
William James (Jim) and his wife Brenda, Elizabeth (Libby) Meads and
her husband David, the late Judith Sloopka (Michael), Steven and his
wife Celine
and Margaret Brown and her husband Richard.
Grandpa Bill will be sadly missed by his
grandchildren Derek (Patty) and Darryl (Leslie) Taylor
and Carli (Mike) Rietkerk, Erin
(Brad) Whaling and Sarah Meads, Kyle and Matthew Sloopka,
Brett (Yumiko) and Todd and Jaime (Matt Brouwer) Taylor, Max
and Chloe Brown; and great grandchildren Olivia and Alexandra
Taylor, Nixon and Cohen Taylor, Brooklyn and Austin Rietkerk,
Elizabeth and Adelaide and Alexander Whaling, Hana Taylor, Quinn
Taylor. Predeceased by his loving wife Jane (2014), daughter
Judy (1991), parents Margaret Vera (1974) and James Elwell (1959)
Taylor and his sister Mary Elizabeth (Bette) Stanton (2019).
Cremation has taken place.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be a private family
service. If desired, memorial contributions may be made to
St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, Knox Presbyterian Church,
Guelph, or to the Guelph Humane Society. Arrangements
entrusted to GILCHRIST CHAPEL –
McIntyre & Wilkie Funeral Home, One Delhi Street, Guelph,
(519-824-0031). We invite you to
leave your memories and donations online at: www.gilchristchapel.com
and they will be forwarded to the family.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of William Taylor 19302020..
Death notice for the town of: Guelph, Province: Ontario