WILLIAM (BILL) JOHNSTON PERDUE

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WILLIAM (BILL) JOHNSTON PERDUE

Born in Winnipeg on June 27, 1927, he quietly passed away in Oakville on September 4, 2023, with family at his side.



Bill attended Kelvin High School. A childhood fascination with coal-powered steam locomotives lead to his pursuit of engineering, and he graduated in 1950 with a Mechanical Engineering degree from University of Manitoba. His first engineering job was working on construction of an oil refinery for Imperial Oil in Winnipeg with M.W. Kellogg Construction.



After positions with Power Plant Contractors in Toronto, then Bridge and Tank in both Winnipeg and later Hamilton, where he was Assistant Chief Engineer responsible for the Mechanical Engineering Department, he decided to venture out on his own. In 1966 he was one of two founding partners of the consulting engineering firm of M.R. Byrne and Associates. For Bill, highlights of their work included the Marine Railway at Big Chute on the Trent Severn Waterway, and design and construction supervision of 39 bridges and highway approach systems in Indonesia.



Bill loved the outdoors and pursued many adventures including flying, hunting, fishing, boating, sailing, skiing, camping, and holiday trips to places such as Newfoundland, Ireland, and BC. He spent many summers at Lake of the Woods and on Twelve Mile Bay in Georgian Bay. In addition to being a versatile piano and ukulele player, he could make a mean fudge while also explaining how you determine a liquid’s boiling point using the capillary method.



As one of the first residents of the retirement community at Amica Bronte, Bill quickly became known for his piano playing and for being an enthusiastic regular at the happy hour. Quick with a smile, he made many new friends. He would often say, “I’ve lived a good life. Thank you, thank you, thank you.”



He was predeceased by his first wife Marianne Saunders, second wife Audrey Congdon, and daughter Jane Henderson (Paul). He leaves behind five children: Marilyn Perdue (Brian), Sue Bramberger (Walter), Meg Zuccaro (Vince), Anne Perdue, Bill Congdon (Liane), as well as 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.



Heartfelt thanks go to the caring staff and second floor caregivers at Amica Bronte.



Condolences may be shared on William Perdue’s memory wall at www.smithsfh.com



If you would like, a donation in Bill’s memory to Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS) would be deeply appreciated.



A private celebration of Bill’s life will be held at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington later in October.

Smith's Funeral Homes

Burlington, ON

905-632-3333

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 09, 2023