1934 – 2017

Bill (William) Thomson left Saturday evening January 14, 2017 on the next step of his journey in the Circle of Life, leaving behind his broken-hearted family. He is survived by his wife of 60 1/2 years Florence, daughters Roxanne (Kamloops), Lorraine (Wayne Abbott) Seymour Arm, and Bonnie (Orval Brockwell) Ashton Creek. Sister Shirley (Pete) Griffiths of Victoria, Brother Bob (Linda) Thomson of Kamloops, Sister-in-Law Jessie Hoefsloot of Coldstream. Grandchildren James Michalopoulos, Gilles and Michelle (John) Gauthier and Reed Thomson-Brockwell. Great-grandchildren Lilli, Nevada and Lakasse Gauthier, Mackenzie and Deegan Falsetta. Nieces and nephews: Randy (Claudia) Thomson and Tomas in Panama; Tracy Housser – Jack and Amelie in Calgary; Ross (Tamara) -Griffiths – Amber Hunter and Chase on Vancouver Island; Kim (Mike) Griffiths- Aaron and Amy on Vancouver Island; Jodie (Ryan) McGill – France, Marcel and Amelia in Calgary, Scott (Penny) Vancouver Island, Glen Hoefsloot – Michaella and Kristine in Calgary; Rob and Tracy Hoefsloot – Michael, Shandell and Ashley of James River Bridge, Alberta. Foster granddaughter Sherry (Rob) Stewart – Hailey and Kailynn.
Bill was born in Princeton BC. He was fortunate in that he grew up in the company mining town of Copper Mountain (just outside of Princeton) where his father worked and built their family home from logs cut on site – quite an accomplishment! This small close-knit community had its own store, community hall with library, outdoor skating rink and elementary school. Bill attended this elementary school and high school in Princeton, where he graduated from grade 12 in 1953. He worked for 2 summers on the Forest Service Fire Suppression Crew and in 1954 hired on with the Marking Crew in Kamloops. This was the beginning of his 35 years with the B.C. Forest Service – a job that he loved. He met his future wife here – Florence Baker, who also worked for the Forest Service. They were married in 1956 – made job moves to Blue River, Barriere, Enderby and finally back to Kamloops. Summers being fire season, were rather exciting at times from gathering fire crews from the pubs and streets to directing water bombers to their water and slurry drops on fires, from the confines of the small Bird Dog plane (with barf bags handy). His last job with the Forest Service was setting up and looking after cross country ski and hiking trails and Forest Service campsites. Bill and Flo had three daughters – (all born on a Sunday) and who, according to the old nursery rhyme – “and the child who is born on the Sabbath Day is bonny and blithe and good and gay.” And they turned out to be just that! Bill learned his parenting skills from his parents Scotty and Ida and they were a wonderful example of what parenting should be.
In 1967 Scotty and Ida provided Bill’s girls with skis for Christmas renewing a hobby for Bill (that began in Copper Mountain on long wooden skiis) and a new one for his family. They skied first at Grandview Ski Acres and then Tod Mountain. Bill was a founding member of the Sun Peaks Antiques and always emceed their annual wind up dinner to celebrate the end of the ski season. The Sun Peaks Antiques – now there is a story or should I say -stories – any member knows what I mean. As for hobbies – his first carving (self taught) is dated 1970. A series of twenty week long summer carving schools followed – at Hinton, Red Deer, Shekinah and finally Sorrento. These carving weeks provided good instructors, good food, drinks and great new friends, and of course accommodation was the camper. Bill quit smoking cold turkey one day and using money saved, bought a camera. His photo albums are now a precious resource for his family. Hiking was another hobby Bill enjoyed – he particularly loved the Lac Du Bios and Dewdrop areas where he and Flo, Bud and Caroline Laitinen, Don and Joan Lyons, Linda Thomson, Christy Ohalloran and Esther Coughlan blindly followed wherever he led us.
Bill and I had many intimate conversations before he left us and we both realized how fortunate we were: we had wonderful parents, siblings, children, friends and good neighbours. What more could a person want? Thank You Christie and Glen for your support.
There will be no service as Bill had requested but there will be an open house at the family home on the weekend of July 8, 2017 and there will be notice posted beforehand.

Condolences may be expressed at www.kamloopsfuneralhome.com

• Date : 2017-01-14
• Location : Kamloops, B.C.