It is with deep sorrow that we share the peaceful passing of our father, William “Bill” Brown, on Tuesday, October 21st in Kitchener, Ontario—a few months before his 89th birthday.

Born in Montreal in 1936 to Elizabeth and Les Brown, Bill was the spirited middle child between his sister Judy (Lewery) and brother Leslie. He met his soulmate, Bev (Gaudet), on a blind date in 1958, and they married in 1962 in Montreal, beginning a joyful 62-year journey together.

Bill was working at the Gulf refinery when they welcomed their first child, Tony. The family soon moved to Oakville, Ontario, where Bill joined the Gulf Research & Development Centre. Their family grew with the arrival of Wendy (Dunbar) and Paul, and Oakville became a hub of cherished memories.

His career in Marketing and Sales took the family across Ontario—from Thunder Bay to Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, and back to Oakville. Bill embraced outdoor life wherever he went, enjoying hunting, fishing and camping in Northern Ontario, driving a tractor in rural Ottawa, skiing in the Soo and more golf in Oakville. His work with Petro-Canada later took him across Europe and Asia, where he embraced every opportunity to explore new cultures and make new connections. He was especially grateful Bev could join him on a trip to France although their favourite vacation was with the whole family in Florida.

Bill and Bev retired in 1994 and moved to a beautiful coastal property at York Point, PEI to be closer to Bev’s family in the late 90’s. They spent many years golfing, attending church, hosting family visits and were involved in the Cornwall curling community. During the pandemic, they downsized to a beautiful apartment at Chesapeake Haven, where they embraced social events like “Friday Night Wine Time”. Bill often said that their home on Minna Jane Drive was like living in a glorious hotel.

After Bev’s passing last year, Bill made the difficult decision to leave PEI to be closer to his children.Though he often joked about being from the “island” of Montreal, Bill had lived in PEI longer than anywhere else and proudly considered himself an honorary “Islander”. It was hard for him to leave Bev behind. Following a hospital stay at Queen Elizabeth, he embarked on a memorable road trip with sons Tony and Paul, filled with laughter, stories and walkie-talkie banter. Bill settled in Kitchener finding comfort in a vibrant community with daily meals, engaging activities and daughter Wendy close by.

Bill fell ill on October 17th and passed away unexpectedly just days later. His final month was filled with dignity, reminiscing and the unwavering support of family. 

Bill will be remembered for his boundless joie de vivre. He was gregarious, generous, heroic, a showman, and a crooner. He loved sports—especially the Blue Jays— and followed all the news on his iPad. Bill often said he was incredibly lucky—grateful for a full, rich life and deeply proud of his many accomplishments, especially the family he cherished above all.

He leaves behind his children Tony, Wendy, and Paul; son-in-law Barry; daughters-in-law Lee and Claudia; grandchildren Dylan, Avery, Kyle, Henry, and Sam; brother Leslie; sisters-in-law, Alice (Brown), Paulette (Gaudet) and Ardele (Gaudet) and many nieces and nephews. We are forever grateful for the time we had with him and the imprint Bill left on all of us. His spirit lives on as we remember his many “Bill-isms”, the songs he sang, the little shuffle when he walked, the mischievous twinkle in his blue eyes.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Belvedere Funeral Home on Saturday, November 1, at 11 a.m. with visitation from 10 until service time. Interment will follow at St. Martin of Tours Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada are appreciated.