Poppa has been in our thoughts as we have been moving this week. The patient lessons he gave me when I was young have come in handy, although I wish he was here because some of the stuff in this house are from when he was my age! I hope the examples he set for me are ones that I can pass on to Isabel as he lives on thoughts and memories.
We’re thinking of Uncle Bill today, and of Aunt Marg, and of all the wonderful times that we had together.
I think of Uncle Bill and I think of a kind man, a caring man, a quiet man, – but such a non-judgemental man. He loved his family. He loved, of course his kids – but loved his nieces, nephew’s, his great-nieces and -nephews and grandchildren.
Of all the times in Thornhill I remember Christmases and Easters – and all the big loot bags that Aunt Margaret would make for all those little wee kids, and making us all feel so special – and always, always, wanting the family to be together.
Kevin Juffs
Uncle Bill was such a great uncle – in the way you never felt uncomfortable with him. You always enjoyed it because he liked to play sports and if you didn’t know what to talk about you could always talk about sports. With the family, he always seemed to be interested and was always very accommodating.
Thinking of you today! Xo. We decided a few days ago to get outside today because I have so many fond memories of playing outside with your Dad at the cottage and in your backyard and your parents’ backyard. He was always up for a game of anything!
Good morning, Pam & Wendy!
Looks like the sunshine came out today as we all take some time to remember Poppa.
He was such an incredibly kind, witty, genuine, and loving man, and I’m so glad to have called him ‘Poppa’ (and also ‘Bill’… I could never decide!).
The entire Heron family has had such a positive impact on my life, and we’ll continue to talk to Noa and Mossie about Marg and Bill/Nana and Poppa, as well as Rick, so that the kids know about the wonderful people that have shaped our lives.
Big hugs to you both and we’ll send on some pictures of us toasting to Poppa later today. ❤️
I have many memories of my Uncle Bill.
Growing up, we saw him as that patient man who could fix almost anything. When his wife (Aunt Marg to us) said “Oh Bill can you fix that?”, he would be called to action. On occasion or perhaps many occasions, the fix was rather entertaining for us onlookers. Visualize a toaster on the counter, bread in the slots but not plugged in … The call from Aunt Margaret “ Bill, can you fix the toaster”? – then a calm response, thoughtful consideration, an expression that would make you think it was a lost cause; then he would plug it back into electric outlet with a sly grin and would announce that it was fixed. Or it might be the TV that was broken and he could patiently spent hours disassembling, looking for the problem and finally getting it back together. The rest of us would have given up long before, having gone through a dictionary of oaths. Not Uncle Bill, he carried on without a curse to be heard and got things done.
Watching him, we learned a lot – how to solder plumbing; brazing a broken pump shaft at the cottage-the pump broke almost every winter and he would do the fix with leather for seals, paper gaskets and whatever was around; carpentry – for instance putting up paneling – no corner trim for him, just make the corner joint so tight that no trim was needed. As he aged, his skills remained. He used his power washer to bury the power wire to his garden fountain. Why dig?
He was the one who volunteered to drive the ski boat for us to waterski in the summer. And he was good at it – a delicate touch on the gas. Up and out onto the water we went, making it easy for us. Patient as ever with the whole family to take for a ski one by one. When I was in University, I frequently hitched a ride to work with him. We would travel down Yonge Street, in a car driven with the precision of a fighter pilot. He would find a gap in traffic to drop me at a bus stop, and off he would go. I’m sure we got to the point where the car didn’t even stop! (Which would mean we hadn’t stopped in a No Stopping Zone!)
I did learn from my mother, that he went into the Air Force as a pilot and was fortunate enough to return from WW2. But he never spoke about his time overseas, which was probably the best for us who got to enjoy the peace which followed, without the burden of difficult memories.
There was one item that he shared – at their base, the Canadians beat the Americans in baseball! He loved baseball and most sports. His favourite colour must have been blue based on the photos and that would be perfect for a fan of the Jays and Leafs.
Great memories of someone we always looked forward to seeing and being with.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bill and Marg in the late 80’s at their beautiful home and property on Oakbank in Thornhill. I was very much welcomed and made to feel at home right from that moment onwards. Bill always saw the glass not half full but full. He was always very positive, encouraging, supportive, giving and caring. His list of good qualities is very long which is why he had such a large circle of family and friends who loved and adored him. The world has truly lost a ray of sunshine. I look forward to all of us, family and friends, getting together to celebrate his life and sharing great stories about Bill and the truly incredible gentleman he was. I learned many things from Bill and definitely the one that stands out most is “not to be judgemental”. This one I am working on. Thanks, Bill. May you rest in peace. You touched my heart.
Love, Jennifer
I recall the summer 2004, when Bill and Marg took the train to visit Pam and me at the new cottage in Nova Scotia. I said to Bill (then in his 80’s) I was planning to build an outhouse (someday) for when we have more guests than our single bathroom could service. He said, “I’ll give you a hand” so we started that day and, using the new table saw they gave me, we had it designed, built, placed over the hole, painted and ready for its inaugural seating in record time.
I remember my first wedding day at our house in Thornhill being shooed out of the kitchen by the women (in true Heron style, all the food was being home made) because I was the bride and it was “my day”. My nails and hair were done (by me – it took a whole half hour) and I wandered around wondering what to do with myself with hours to go before I got dressed for the service. Dad came to the rescue – he was bolting legs onto the rented tables and let me “help” him.
We all know a fellow named Bill,
Who’s nothing like run-of-the-mill.
We think it’s great he is going to be eighty
Without going over the hill!
Marg and he make quite a pair
At a party or theatre affair.
At dances he’s hot to do the foxtrot.
We think he outshines Fred Estaire!
For golf buddies he has his pick –
Peter.Tom, Adam or Nick.
His score on the page is less than his age –
And who else can add it that quick?
The curlers all think he’s quite nice,
And an expert at reading the ice.
They’ll give you a tip: “Get Bill for your skip –
It won’t matter who is the vice!”
He’s a legend at using his tools
Without reading too many rules.
If something gets broke, he gives it a poke –
And it works – while we all feel like fools!
In the yard he is still the chief digger.
He’s got lots of energy, we figure.
He trims all the trees, and weeds on his knees,
While the gardens get bigger and bigger!
At work, at play, or at leisure,
Every hour with him is a treasure.
Like this guy we admire, we all can aspire|
To live life so well with such pleasure!
10 Comments
Poppa has been in our thoughts as we have been moving this week. The patient lessons he gave me when I was young have come in handy, although I wish he was here because some of the stuff in this house are from when he was my age! I hope the examples he set for me are ones that I can pass on to Isabel as he lives on thoughts and memories.
Beth Juffs
We’re thinking of Uncle Bill today, and of Aunt Marg, and of all the wonderful times that we had together.
I think of Uncle Bill and I think of a kind man, a caring man, a quiet man, – but such a non-judgemental man. He loved his family. He loved, of course his kids – but loved his nieces, nephew’s, his great-nieces and -nephews and grandchildren.
Of all the times in Thornhill I remember Christmases and Easters – and all the big loot bags that Aunt Margaret would make for all those little wee kids, and making us all feel so special – and always, always, wanting the family to be together.
Kevin Juffs
Uncle Bill was such a great uncle – in the way you never felt uncomfortable with him. You always enjoyed it because he liked to play sports and if you didn’t know what to talk about you could always talk about sports. With the family, he always seemed to be interested and was always very accommodating.
We treated ourselves to a fancy steak dinner last night to celebrate poppa, it was pretty good for takeout, but I still miss his steaks!
Thinking of you today! Xo. We decided a few days ago to get outside today because I have so many fond memories of playing outside with your Dad at the cottage and in your backyard and your parents’ backyard. He was always up for a game of anything!
Good morning, Pam & Wendy!
Looks like the sunshine came out today as we all take some time to remember Poppa.
He was such an incredibly kind, witty, genuine, and loving man, and I’m so glad to have called him ‘Poppa’ (and also ‘Bill’… I could never decide!).
The entire Heron family has had such a positive impact on my life, and we’ll continue to talk to Noa and Mossie about Marg and Bill/Nana and Poppa, as well as Rick, so that the kids know about the wonderful people that have shaped our lives.
Big hugs to you both and we’ll send on some pictures of us toasting to Poppa later today. ❤️
I have many memories of my Uncle Bill.
Growing up, we saw him as that patient man who could fix almost anything. When his wife (Aunt Marg to us) said “Oh Bill can you fix that?”, he would be called to action. On occasion or perhaps many occasions, the fix was rather entertaining for us onlookers. Visualize a toaster on the counter, bread in the slots but not plugged in … The call from Aunt Margaret “ Bill, can you fix the toaster”? – then a calm response, thoughtful consideration, an expression that would make you think it was a lost cause; then he would plug it back into electric outlet with a sly grin and would announce that it was fixed. Or it might be the TV that was broken and he could patiently spent hours disassembling, looking for the problem and finally getting it back together. The rest of us would have given up long before, having gone through a dictionary of oaths. Not Uncle Bill, he carried on without a curse to be heard and got things done.
Watching him, we learned a lot – how to solder plumbing; brazing a broken pump shaft at the cottage-the pump broke almost every winter and he would do the fix with leather for seals, paper gaskets and whatever was around; carpentry – for instance putting up paneling – no corner trim for him, just make the corner joint so tight that no trim was needed. As he aged, his skills remained. He used his power washer to bury the power wire to his garden fountain. Why dig?
He was the one who volunteered to drive the ski boat for us to waterski in the summer. And he was good at it – a delicate touch on the gas. Up and out onto the water we went, making it easy for us. Patient as ever with the whole family to take for a ski one by one. When I was in University, I frequently hitched a ride to work with him. We would travel down Yonge Street, in a car driven with the precision of a fighter pilot. He would find a gap in traffic to drop me at a bus stop, and off he would go. I’m sure we got to the point where the car didn’t even stop! (Which would mean we hadn’t stopped in a No Stopping Zone!)
I did learn from my mother, that he went into the Air Force as a pilot and was fortunate enough to return from WW2. But he never spoke about his time overseas, which was probably the best for us who got to enjoy the peace which followed, without the burden of difficult memories.
There was one item that he shared – at their base, the Canadians beat the Americans in baseball! He loved baseball and most sports. His favourite colour must have been blue based on the photos and that would be perfect for a fan of the Jays and Leafs.
Great memories of someone we always looked forward to seeing and being with.
My Fond Memories of Bill
I had the pleasure of meeting Bill and Marg in the late 80’s at their beautiful home and property on Oakbank in Thornhill. I was very much welcomed and made to feel at home right from that moment onwards. Bill always saw the glass not half full but full. He was always very positive, encouraging, supportive, giving and caring. His list of good qualities is very long which is why he had such a large circle of family and friends who loved and adored him. The world has truly lost a ray of sunshine. I look forward to all of us, family and friends, getting together to celebrate his life and sharing great stories about Bill and the truly incredible gentleman he was. I learned many things from Bill and definitely the one that stands out most is “not to be judgemental”. This one I am working on. Thanks, Bill. May you rest in peace. You touched my heart.
Love, Jennifer
I recall the summer 2004, when Bill and Marg took the train to visit Pam and me at the new cottage in Nova Scotia. I said to Bill (then in his 80’s) I was planning to build an outhouse (someday) for when we have more guests than our single bathroom could service. He said, “I’ll give you a hand” so we started that day and, using the new table saw they gave me, we had it designed, built, placed over the hole, painted and ready for its inaugural seating in record time.
I remember my first wedding day at our house in Thornhill being shooed out of the kitchen by the women (in true Heron style, all the food was being home made) because I was the bride and it was “my day”. My nails and hair were done (by me – it took a whole half hour) and I wandered around wondering what to do with myself with hours to go before I got dressed for the service. Dad came to the rescue – he was bolting legs onto the rented tables and let me “help” him.
To Dad on his Eightieth Birthday
We all know a fellow named Bill,
Who’s nothing like run-of-the-mill.
We think it’s great he is going to be eighty
Without going over the hill!
Marg and he make quite a pair
At a party or theatre affair.
At dances he’s hot to do the foxtrot.
We think he outshines Fred Estaire!
For golf buddies he has his pick –
Peter.Tom, Adam or Nick.
His score on the page is less than his age –
And who else can add it that quick?
The curlers all think he’s quite nice,
And an expert at reading the ice.
They’ll give you a tip: “Get Bill for your skip –
It won’t matter who is the vice!”
He’s a legend at using his tools
Without reading too many rules.
If something gets broke, he gives it a poke –
And it works – while we all feel like fools!
In the yard he is still the chief digger.
He’s got lots of energy, we figure.
He trims all the trees, and weeds on his knees,
While the gardens get bigger and bigger!
At work, at play, or at leisure,
Every hour with him is a treasure.
Like this guy we admire, we all can aspire|
To live life so well with such pleasure!
Love, Pam