TURNBULL, William Thomas (Bill)
Glace Bay
It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of William Thomas (Bill) Turnbull, 92, on Saturday, September 16, 2017 at Ivany Place, Bedford, just three short months after losing his adoring and loving wife, Mary (Hermack). Bill was born in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia on August 11, 1925, son of the late William Turnbull and Alice (Nearing).
In his lifetime he exemplified a quiet strength and ability that allowed him to lead by example in all the endeavors he chose to undertake. At a very early age, he served his country as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces. He was an accomplished athlete and a member of the Glace Bay Oland Bay Byes, a team that brought great pride to the town of Glace Bay with the Nova Scotia Senior Softball Championship in 1955. Bill was also a member of the elite Four-Man Exhibition Team known as the Glace Bay Auto Supply Rockets.
He was a devout Roman Catholic and avid supporter of his church St. John the Baptist, New Aberdeen. He served as President of St. John’s Men’s Club and, throughout the years, he could always be counted on to bring his unique woodworking skill to assist in projects undertaken by his church and community. Bill started his long customer service career with R J Logue Limited and later retired as Service Manager at MacIntrye Chevrolet Oldsmobile. During his career he received numerous achievement awards from General Motors.
Bill is survived by his daughters, Wendy E. O’Connor, Ottawa, Beverly Levine, Truro, Valerie (Reeves) Matheson, Halifax and Pamela Turnbull, Vancouver, and son, Paul Turnbull, New Waterford. Bill will be dearly missed and forever cherished by his 12 grandchildren, Rachelle, Ryan, Mandy, Christopher, Paul Reeves, Andrew, Meaghan, Ian, Gary, Elizabeth, Thomas and Alexander, and his ten great grandchildren, Rayne, Antonino, Jack, Max, Ryan, Kayla, Finn, Ivy Mae, Izzy and Lily. Bill is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, Bill was predeceased by his son, Bill (2015); his brother, Philip, and his sister, Elizabeth (Lizzie) MacDonald.
Bill will best be remembered as a loving husband to his wife Mary, and together they demonstrated an unwavering devotion and commitment to their family. But most of all, they created a lifetime of heartwarming family memories which were sprinkled with Bill’s special gift - his ability to tell a joke or two and bring a smile to everyone’s day.
Bill fulfilled his long-term wish of donating his remains to the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University for the advancement of medical education and research. A joint Celebration of Life for Bill and Mary will take place in Cape Breton next Spring, 2018. In Bill’s memory, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society.
The family wishes to acknowledge and extend their heartfelt appreciation for the loving care and attention Dad received from the staff during his stay at Blueberry Hills, Ivany Place, Bedford.
Condolences may be sent to www.currysfuneralhome.com.