WILLIAM (BILL) WHIDDON

WILLIAM (BILL) WHIDDON
William (Bill) Whiddon, 97, of Kenora, Ont., passed away at Birchwood Terrace on Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 after a short illness.
Bill was born Aug. 2, 1909 on the family farm in Devlin, Ont. to the late Albert and Lulu Whiddon.
On April 12, 1931, he married Christina Munro and they had three children, John, Jean, and Betty. After the loss of his wife, Christina, in 1937, Bill and Lena Marshall were married on Oct. 27, 1941 and together they had three sons, Ken, James, and Albert.
As a young man, Bill worked in the bush and trucked for many years. His love of flying led to Thunder Bay, Ont., where he earned his pilot’s licence. This, in turn, led him to Armstrong, Ont. to commercial fish for a short time.
This also is where he began his career with the Ministry of Natural Resources as a mechanic.
Bill was one of a very few non-CN licensed gas car operators and he travelled up and down the rail line to service radios and generators in the remote fire towers.
In 1952, he was transferred to Kenora, and 15 years later he became a safety supervisor at a time when the Loggers’ Safety Act was first enforced.
Bill was always up for a challenge and Lena was right there by his side, so when he retired in 1972, they bought a Holiday Rambler trailer and together they travelled the length and breadth of North America, including twice to Alaska with several side trips to Mexico.
Their love of family and their desire to travel led them to make many trips out west to Calgary and Fort St. John, B.C., as well as to southern Ontario. Always together, they wintered in Florida for 23 years.
Bill is survived by Lena, his loving wife of 65 years; sons, John (Darlene), Ken (Dale), James (Suzanne), and Albert; and daughter, Jean (Earl) Kellar. He also is survived by 20 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his first wife, Christina; his daughter, Betty Kellar; daughter-in-law, Marsha Whiddon; parents, Albert and Lula; his siblings, Margaret Lewis, Nora Rogoza, and Dorothy Whiddon; and his brother, John.
Cremation has taken place and a celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 at 1 p.m. at Knox United Church in Kenora.
Interment will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, in memoriam donations may be made to Knox United Church, Kenora, Ont. or Birchwood Terrace Nursing Home, 237 Lakeview Dr., Kenora, Ont., P9N 4J7.
Now the labourer’s task is o’er
Now the battle day is past,
Now upon the farther shore
Lands the voyager at last.
Father in thy gracious keeping
Leave we now thy servant sleeping.