William "Bill" Diduch

WILLIAM “BILL” DIDUCH

Nov. 1, 1917 – Jan. 28, 2020

A gentle soul with a strong mind and will has yielded to a tired body and is now at rest. William “Bill” Diduch passed away peacefully at Humber River Hospital, surrounded by family, after 102 years of life.

Born on Nov. 1, 1917 in Brokenhead, Manitoba, Bill was equally at home on a farm in the prairies, in the British Columbia bush or on a downtown Toronto street – and he had the stories to prove it. From skating up a frozen river with a keg strapped to his back to shooting a grizzly bear with one bullet left in his rifle, the tales from his youth made him a legend among family and friends alike.

A man of few words but countless generous actions, Bill was known for his integrity, his commitment to his community and his unwavering love for his family. He married the love of his life, Ella, on March 14, 1942, at Toronto’s St. James Cathedral, and was the father of Jim, John (Pierrette), Betty (Mike), Michael (Anne) and Sandy (Dave); grandfather of Jeff (Biff), Chris, Kim (Jason), Melinda (Tod), Sarah and Allison; great-grandfather of Caroline and Reid; and the brother of Leon, Olive, Mary, Harry and Tony.

Bill was a thinking man in work clothes, with a knack for fixing almost anything. His jobs in B.C. ranged from working as a cook and tree topper at a lumber camp to prospecting for gold and running traplines. In Toronto, he worked at the Gutta Percha & Rubber Manufacturing Company in Parkdale, the Sheet Metal Service Company on Yonge Street and finally in plant maintenance at the Bowes Company fruit processing facility, where he’d gather floor sweepings from the nut processing line and bring them home to feed the squirrels.

Throughout his life, Bill was always the first to be there for friends or neighbours if something needed building or fixing, and his playful, mischievous spirit made him a beloved companion to his grandchildren. He didn’t need much to make him happy, and could often be found tinkering in his workshop, tending to his garden, reading mystery novels or watching Coronation Street.

Even as the years crept up on him, Bill remained as sharp and as stubborn as ever. He loved his independence and couldn’t be kept off a ladder, climbing well into his 90s. He took his car out for one last spin on the day his license expired, shortly after his 98th birthday, and remained in the house where his children grew up until the last week of his life. He will be remembered with great love and affection by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, Feb. 9, 4-8 p.m. and funeral will be held on Monday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m., both at Ward Funeral Home, 2035 Weston Rd. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Kidney Foundation of Canada, the Canadian Cancer Society or the Hospital for Sick Children would be appreciated.