Bill Postill, a longtime resident of Takysie Lake, passed away peacefully in the Lakes District Hospital in Burns Lake shortly after the death of his beloved wife of 51 years, Betty Postill.
Bill was a descendant of the Postill family, who were pioneers in both BC and Alberta after emigrating from England in the late 1800s. The only child of Robert and Nora Postill (both deceased), he was born in Fruitland, Idaho, but raised in BC and Alberta. After qualifying as an electronics technician, he opened his own radio shops in Rocky Mountain House and Calmar, AB. He later worked for Motorola, traveling throughout northwest Canada, including in the Arctic Circle, to keep vital communications networks operating. Then he was hired by Hudson Bay Oil & Gas in Calgary and later Olds, AB and remained with the company when it became Dome Petroleum. He took early retirement in 1986.
Bill and Betty raised her daughters from a previous marriage, Terry Poulton of Toronto and Bonnie Cox (deceased), before adopting three children of their own: twins Louise Poirier (Mark) of Ontario and Linda Noronha (Angelo) of Calgary, and Scott Postill (Trish) of Calgary. An enthusiastic ham radio operator, with friends all over the world, Bill also enjoyed hunting and fishing and especially traveling with his family.
Bill will be much missed by his children and grandchildren: Elise, Brittany and Nathan Poirier in Ontario, Emma and Sadie Postill in Vancouver; Laura Wilson (Frank) in El Paso, TX and Robert Paauw (Allison) in Louisville, KY, who were predeceased by their sister Lesley Cox; great-grandsons Michael, Tayler and Troy Paauw in Louisville; and his devoted brother- and sister-in-law, Mike and Joyce Anhorn in St. Albert, AB. Bill’s loss will also be mourned by his many cousins in BC and Alberta, His Aunt Doris Irving and also his and Betty’s longtime friend and maid of honour Ada Shackleton in Alberta, Nelson Smith in Red Deer and remarkable neighbours, Mary & Fred Gruen in Takysie.
Interment will be in southern Alberta, where a memorial service is being planned.