WILLIAM ERNEST ALFRED NORQUAY

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WILLIAM ERNEST ALFRED NORQUAY In the early hours of March 13, 2008, William Ernest Alfred Norquay, 96, passed away in his sleep at Eagle Ridge Hospital in Port Moody. Shortly after saying goodbye to family, he began his peaceful journey to heaven where his wife, Mary Ellen Norquay, received him. Bill was born on September 22, 1911, in Clandeboye, Manitoba, to Christina (Anderson) and William Norquay Sr. His mother died when he was two, where it was left to his father and aunts Grace, Edie and Belle to raise him. He began working on his father's farm at 15 where he learned a strong work ethic that followed him throughout his life. He worked the farm through the dusty years of the Great Depression, until he traveled overseas during the Second World War to fight as a tail gunner with the Canadian Air Force. During his four years in the service he miraculously survived two plane crashes. It was during the war, while traveling by train through the English countryside that, by chance, he met his future wife, Mary Casson, when he offered her a seat in the officer's compartment. Bill and Mary were married on July 14, 1945, and their son Geoffrey was born soon after. Shortly after Geoff's birth, they traveled home to Manitoba where their second and third children were born, Brenda and Valerie. He spent the next 23 years raising his family in the rural splendor of southern Manitoba (Clandeboye). In 1974 Bill retired from the farm and took a job as a crop adjuster with Manitoba Crop Insurance. His storied work ethic carried him through until he finally retired at 78. On May 2, 1994, his beloved Mary passed on, and soon after he began wintering in Vancouver with daughter Valerie and family, until he moved there permanently in 2000. He lived independently until the day he passed, and remained an active member of his church and community for a long time, but his work ethic never ebbed. His three-day-a-week workout routine became the subject of two feature articles in the local paper in the following years, and he quickly earned a reputation for his kindness, humour and warm smile. Bill's favourite things were spending time with family and friends, crosswords and spinning tales over an occasional drink at the Legion. He is survived by his children: Geoffrey (Susan), Brenda (Paul Nielson), Valerie (Brad Krause), eight grandchildren - Matthew, Andrea, Jeremy (Tracy Nordal), Mia, Laura (Chris Walker), Judy (Eric Warner), Ashley, Jonathan - and one great-grandchild, Trinity. Funeral services were held at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, 9887 Cameron Street, Burnaby, on March 18, 2008, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Andrews-on-the Red Anglican Church, 3 St. Andrews Road, R.M. of St. Andrews. Dad - we love you, and you'll be sorely missed.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 22, 2008