Passing of Bill King

by Bill Ness

We were saddened to hear of the passing of long time WCA member Bill King in December. Bill was a backbone of the WCA since his first joining us in the club’s infancy in 1977. His contributions to our club’s success are many. He was WCA Director and then Chairman from 1986 to 1988. After leaving the Chair, he became WCA secretary in 1988 and diligently fulfilled that role with us until 2018. Board members of that time will fondly recall the Board meetings he hosted at his residence in Don Mills, followed by a generous smorgasbord of delectables to fortify us for our trips home. Having been with the club almost since its inception, Bill was an invaluable source of wisdom and information on the WCA’S history to help the Board’s members understand what had gone on before they arrived on the scene.

Bill was an accomplished wilderness paddler and had many significant northern trips under his belt, often accompanied by his wife, Joan. A number of his adventures can be found in past issues of Nastawgan.

While Bill loved the solitude of the wilderness, he also appreciated the need to protect those rivers closer to our urban centres and was, again with wife Joan, instrumental in the establishment of Toronto’s Don River Day where paddlers still turn out to paddle and create an awareness of the importances of those rivers and natural lands close to the city. Please take a moment to hear Bill’s words in his interview on our YouTube channel. Going to Bat for the Lower Don River Metrolinx Layover

We thank you, Bill, for your dedication to the WCA for so many years and hope that you’ve gone to a place where the rivers still run wild and free, and campfires still glow under the pines.