Bill (born Willem) passed away unexpectedly into glory on August 22, 2022, at the age of 78, at Groves Memorial Community Hospital in Fergus. Bill was born to Willem Hendrik and Jantje DeVries in Stadskanaal, Groningen, the Netherlands, on August 11, 1944, the oldest of what eventually became a family of eight children. He immigrated to Canada at the age of six, moving frequently across the country, before settling with his parents and siblings in Fergus, Ontario.
Fergus’s charms increased for Bill when he met Elly Schijff—a relative of one of his friends, visiting from Holland—who gave him both a reason to brush up on his Dutch and a fulfilling marriage of nearly 40 years. A classic introvert, Bill quickly learned that he’d married the opposite, and he relished the many gifts that marriage to Elly had to offer: endless social commitments, loud laughter, spontaneous home renovations, and eight children of their own.
As comfortable defining obscure words as he was under the hood of a car, Bill enjoyed a long career at Walinga Inc., where he worked his way from the shop floor to the engineering department. His children quietly suspected he was a genius—there was seemingly not a fact he didn’t know, not a problem he couldn’t solve, not a thing he couldn’t do with his hands (however much he liked to pretend that the pickle jar lid was too much for him). He finally brought himself to retire at the age of 72.
Elly passed away in 2008, and while Bill missed her faithfully for 14 years, he never failed to provide kind counsel (and, when necessary, home and automotive repairs) to his adult children—Elsa, Joanne, Rick, Jennifer, Kim, Karen, Les, Lisa, and their spouses—who will miss his rumbling voice, twinkling eyes, gentle manner, and head-thrown-back, eyes-squeezed-shut laugh. He will be equally missed by his seven siblings and his throng of more than 30 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. We are crushed to lose Bill, but grateful that he has finished his race to live on forever in the eternal care of his Saviour Jesus Christ. We can well imagine Elly exuberantly welcoming him home.
Friends will be received at Living Word Canadian Reformed Church in Guelph, on Thursday, August 25, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Following interment at Belsyde Cemetery in Fergus, Bill’s funeral service will be held at Living Word Canadian Reformed Church on Friday, August 26, at 12 p.m. Donations can be directed to Campfire! Bible Camp.
To make a donation, please click on the link below: www.campfirebiblecamp.ca/
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of William Bill DeVries Monday August 22nd 2022..
Death notice for the town of: Fergus, Province: Ontario
Our heartfelt condolences to the whole family. Much love…Bob and Diane Spoelstra