April 12, 1933 – May 4, 2025
Bill passed away peacefully at Grey Gables in Markdale on Sunday, May 4, 2025, with his loving wife of nearly 71 years, Janice Harrison, by his side, surrounded by the love of their family.
From 1954 to 1998 our home was Cooksville, now part of Mississauga, where our children Jayne (who passed away in 2003 at the age of 46) and Robert were raised. Rob and Tina now live in Caledon with their children Kyle and Krysten. Jayne’s daughter, our granddaughter Belinda (David) Rivi, lives in Orangeville raising our great grandson, Matteo.
As a camping family we began in the late ’60s spending many weekends in Grey County where some of our Harrison family had settled. Soon we were in Meaford most weekends and became involved with fellow musicians which pleased Bill so much as he was a piano player from the time he could reach the keys. It became obvious our retirement would be in Meaford and in September of 1998 we moved here with a longtime relationship of friends and activities already in place. We’ve had a wonderful retirement – always active and never dull. We’ve been ‘a team’: Bill supported my attempts at painting and quilting and I was happy to support his musical achievements. He played in several small groups, did solo events in long term care homes and felt he was contributing to their musical therapy program. He was often seen at the keyboard over the 25 years he joined with the Waverley and Martin Rice Family Band in their community presentations.
Bill was the last survivor of his siblings and will be missed by a number of nieces and nephews. In this area he is known to be the uncle of Dan and Shelly Harrison, their sons Jesse and Josh and their young families, Dana (Andrew) Brown and Chantel, and Richard Harrison. Patrice Taylor lives in Inglewood, Randy (Aggie) in Erin, Mary Grant, Beth (Peter) Siemons in Perth, and Carol, Cathy, Dent and James are in Kingsville area.
Bill will also be missed by his Carlyle/Campbell close-knit Scots clan in-laws, particularly Janice’s two sisters, Margaret (Derek 2003) Smith, son Anthony (2024) (Christine), and son Jeremy (Charlotte) all of the Calgary area, and Moira (Marvyn) Alley of Pickering.
Our family will be forever grateful for the loving care extended to Bill and his family over the three and half years he resided in Grey Gables.
We invite you to meet our family and join our celebration of Bill’s life at the Terrace Room of Meaford Hall on Sunday, May 25, 2025, between 1 and 4 p.m. A private inurnment will take place at Lakeview Cemetery at a later date.
As your expression of sympathy, donations to the Grey Gables Activity Program (Cheques Only) or Meaford Hospital Foundation would be appreciated and may be made through the Ferguson Funeral Home, 48 Boucher St. E., Meaford, ON, N4L 1B9, to whom arrangements have been entrusted.
