Billie and I were cousins who met for the first time at Gigi’s in Port Arthur, Ontario. He and I had so much fun that summer with our relatives that it has remained a fond and sentimental memory that I have gone on to tell my three children. It’s with deep sadness that I read of his passing. God bless.

To the family of Bill, I have learned, albeit late, of the sudden passing of Bill. He and I were great friends in our younger years and not being in Calgary this news did not reach me until now. Still, I look back with fondness and great memories. Condolences to all.

Dear Val, Kristy, Kayla

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to your family during this tragic time. I recall one get together between our families a number of years ago in Kelowna, sometime around Christmas, when we all played Foosball and sang along to Rockband songs. What stood out for me was how welcoming and cheerful Bill was; always ready to share a story or jump into any game we were playing.

It is also evident how much of an impact Bill had on my dad, Tom. He often spoke of interesting stories about their time at SAIT and the good times they shared.

May Bill live on in our memories for years to come.

Regards,

– Thomas

Dear Val and Family

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings living our human experience. When some one you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure until you are reunited as spiritual beings.”

Our sincerest condolences on Bill’s passing.

Bruce and Candi Goodwin

Dear Val and Family,

So sorry to hear of Bill’s loss. I had the privilege of working with Bill at Aurora Engineering for a couple of years and always found him to be approachable, pleasant and knowledgeable. He was an early riser like myself and it was obvious to me as we occasionally chatted over a cup of tea that he highly valued his wife and family. A life well lived.

I’m so sorry for your loss, Val. Although I did not know Bill personally, it is common knowledge that you had a strong and happy marriage. I hope that will be some comfort to you in the days to come. I’ve learned personally through a loss of my own that you will heal when you can say that you have shared love and happiness with the one you have lost.

I am over in Manila and just heard of Bill’s passing. I am in shock. Val and family please accept my condolences. Bill touched many lives and he will be sorly missed.

My sincere sympathies to you and your family. Thoughts and prayers are with you.

Hello Val,

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. In my short time working with you and Bill in 2012, I quickly came to respect and admire you both. When ever Bill’s name came up with colleagues, a smile quickly followed. It is obvious that he had a wonderfully positive impact on those around him.

Again my condolences to you and your family Val.

Dear Val and Family

I’m so sorry for your loss. Bill was a great person and a real pleasure to be around. Tuesday Night Men’s Curling was where I first met Bill and will always remember the great fun we had curling together. You always knew he was a happy person, who loved his life and his family.

Take Care,

James Oancia

Val and Family

Deeply saddened by your loss. My memories of working with Bill at FISH and DPH are all happy and respectful ones. Always a smile or joke to share. He will never be forgotten. Please accept my sincere condolences.

Alan and I are truly sorry for your loss, Val. Our condolences to you and your family. Alison

Val, Kristy, Kayla and family,

We are profoundly shocked and so very sad to hear of Bill’s passing. We can’t begin to understand your loss.

It was so nice to see Bill a few years ago while at work, and his demeanor had only changed in that he seemed more relaxed, and he had still kept his humor and that smile which he was famous for.

We have been remembering our camping days with all of you, the Washoo games and it still brings a smile to our faces and a warmth to our hearts. It’s really too bad that we lost contact with you, because you were the best of friends and we had some really good times together.

Nothing we can say will ease your pain but please‎ know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Love to you and your family.

Val Vincent, Mitchell (Lisa) and Graham Langen

We were so very sorry to hear of your family’s loss. Our thoughts, prayers, and very deepest sympathies are with you all.

Dear Val,

We are deeply saddened by Bill’s passing – We both had the pleasure of working with Bill back in the late 90’s on the Amoco Empress Phase 5 Project. He was an exceptional partner in the Piping discipline and showed his competence and professionalism every step of the way in running the project.

We wish you and your family the warmest condolences in this, your time of certain grief.

Dear Val and family,

Please accept my deepest condolences. I can’t put into words the shock and sadness that I feel at hearing of your loss. I never had the pleasure of meeting Bill but he must have been a great guy judging by the happiness seen in your face in every picture you posted on Facebook. He looked like a kind man. Find strength in each other to get through this difficult time. The fond memories of Bill will keep you strong. If I can help you in any way please let me know.

Val,

I am very sad to hear of the tragic loss of a wonderful man. Bill will be greatly missed by everyone that had the pleasure of ever knowing him.

My condolences to you and your family.

Sincere condolences to the Staples family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.

Val, Kristy & Kayla

Jan, Kent & Alysse and I just want to express our deepest sympathies for the loss of Bill, your loving Husband and Father. Sometimes time and distance separates good friends, but memories never fade. We have been remembering and talking about our memories of Bill this week and each one of them brings a smile to our face. His adventures in sports, his competitive nature (Even playing washoes while camping), his championship curling prowess and most importantly that #%$! eating grin will never be forgotten! our thoughts and prayers are with you and your entire family as you deal with your loss.

Val and Family,

My condolence to you and the family with sorrow we learn of Bill’s death. May God’s blessing be with you and the family and keep you strong.

Doug Gittens

How my heart breaks for everyone.

Uncle Bill was bigger than life to me when I was growing up. Someone I loved and admired, always will. Even though the miles between us grew over the years, the connection as a family remained. No matter what, if you needed him, he was there.

Bill had a knack for coming in and making everyone laugh and smile, no matter what the situation. He lived his life with the same love and passion he had for his family. Always looking ahead, never behind. He has left an imprint on all of us that will never go away. He was a role model for anyone who came into his life. He will forever be in our hearts and in our memories.

My love and hugs (lots of them) to all.

Val and family,

It is with such a sadness to learn of your loss….such a tragedy. Our lives have traveled different roads but there is still that connection with the piping designers from years ago. You are certainly in our thoughts and in our prayers. You are very blessed to have 2 beautiful daughters… may that give you strength to carry on in the days ahead.

Val and Family,

I wish to express my sadness upon learning of this and extend my deepest condolences. Although some time has passed since I last spoke with Bill, I can clearly recall his good natured jabs, hear the laugh and see the smile. He made an impression on all who he encountered, and what a good one it was. I wish you strength and know you will find solace amongst family in the coming days ahead.

Val,

We were deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic news. Our deepest condolences to you and your family. Our thoughts are with you.

Bill will live on in our memories as one of the good guys.

Val, Kristy and Kayla

Deb and I would want to express our sympathies for the loss of Bill. There never was a time or event that Bill wasn’t competing. Whether it was working on the same project, playing Washoo in Sundre, playing Shuffleboard at your house, playing slowpitch, curling or metal detecting. Actually Bill talked me into buying my first metal detector. Val, remember the work and effort in raising your daughters, now its time to draw on their strength and their love.

Val, Kayla, Kristy & Travis,

We are deeply saddened by Bill’s tragic passing, Kristy and I both thought the world of him. I will always remember the times we spent together both work & play. I’ve always considered myself lucky to of had Bill around for advice both on a work and personal level and I am blessed to have learned so much from him.

He was much more than a friend and mentor and we will truly miss him.

Val,

My deepest condolences to you, Kristy, Kayla and he family.

I’m still shocked by the sad news. Bill was this fun guy to be around with. Always a laugh but also some deep conversations I enjoyed in his company. I had an opportunity to work with him too. He will be missed by so many people. I know that all the wonderful memories he leave behind will remain in our hearts forever.

Dear Val and family. I’m so sorry for your tremendous loss…there are no words. May you find comfort in the memories and know that many people care and love you.

Val and family,

I am extremely sad to hear of Bill’s passing and my sincere condolences go out to you.

It is a good while since I spoke with Bill and longer since I worked with him but I remember him as a good man with a big smile and great attitude. He was helpful, great to be around and as his lead , I appreciated his proactive help and superior design skills. His reputation was good, his friends many, and he will be missed by all who knew him.

I hope that knowing Bill was so well liked and respected will provide you with the strength to move through this very difficult time.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Wish I was there at this horrific time. I am so glad that I had the pleasure of knowing Bill and enjoying his company when we were together. I know your pain. Love and hugs to you and the family.xoxox

Val and family,

Valerie and I would like to express our deepest sympathy for your loss of Bill.

Time has passed by since we have been together, but whether it was work or socializing, Bill always made us smile and laugh.

We have so many fond memories of Bill that bring warmth to our hearts.

Memories of Bill will always be with us.

Val, Kristy and Kayla,

I am so very sorry for Bill’s passing. I just don’t want to believe that it’s true.

Please know how grateful I am to have known Bill as a friend, co-worker and boss over the years, and will always remember him for the great man that he was.

My heartfelt thoughts are with all of you,

Love Roni

Val & Family

Our sincere condolences to you. We have so many great memories we will never forget about Bill. Keep the memories in your hearts forever.

Our thoughts are with you.

Julie & Scott

Dear Val, I remember when you guys first met. We were classmates and Bill was a colleague of mine when we were all just starting our careers. Our paths only crossed briefly throughout these years but even from that distance I could tell you and Bill had a fulfilled and happy life together. Paul and I will keep you and your family in our prayers in the difficult days ahead. May the good memories Bill left us with heal every broken heart.

We are deeply saddened and would like to express our deepest condolences for the loss of Bill. He was a terrific person and a joy to work with. May your family find some warm and happy memories of Bill to help with the grief of his loss.

Val,

I just wanted to let you know I was deeply saddened by the news of Bill’s passing. The news was all the more heart wrenching for me as it occurred exactly a year to the day of my mother and sister losing their lives in a car accident just west of Revelstoke. I pray that the support of your family and friends during this terrible time will help get you through as it did with me and my family.

My deepest condolence’s Val,

Paul Chatten

I first worked with Bill in 1995 at DPH Engineering, in Calgary. Apart from his substantial technical knowledge of piping engineering and design to support his leadership skills, he was a pleasure to work alongside in the drawing office.

He would laugh and have a dig at my references to ‘buying a new motor’ as Londoners might say when in the market for a car. We would both impersonate Thunderbirds characters, drifting between drawing boards with our arms outstretched. Funny as hell.

Apart from his close and loving family, he’ll be missed by stacks of other folk who enjoyed his company as much as I did. Rest in Peace Bill old son, and save me a good seat!

Sincere Condolences to the Staples Families.

I never had a chance to work with Bill but we had good laugh.

Dorothee Ramsay

Bill will be remembered as one of those people that brought a smile to everyone around him. He was great fun to be around and I will miss him dearly. My thoughts and prayers are with Val and the family.

Deepest condolences,

Gary Bambrough.

I’m still in disbelief and shock from the news…my heart aches thinking of what you and the girls are going thru now.

Ann and I will miss Bill so very much, he’ll always be with all of us in our memory’s…never forgotten and we have lots of good memories.

Please know that Ann and I are there for you always.

love Keith and Ann

Val,

I’d like to offer my heartfelt condolences to you and your family on the loss of Bill. He was a great guy – always professional, knowledgeable and helpful at work and great fun to be with in a social gathering.

I hope that you can take solace in the knowledge that he was universally respected and liked within the Calgary piping community. I hope with the support of your family and friends, that you can look back on many happy memories of Bill to help with your grief at this difficult time.

Val and family, I just wanted to offer my deepest condolences to you. I worked with Bill for a couple of years at Aurora Engineering and he was a pleasure to be around, always had a smile on his face and such an easy going demeanor. My thoughts and prayers are with you and hope your memories of Bill will help get you through your grief. So, so sorry for your loss.

My thoughts and prayers are with you guys in this time of sadness and loss. Bill was a truly amazing man and it breaks my heart that one of the best people I have ever met in my life is no longer with us. I think both Sue and I always used Val and Bill as role models as to the family we wanted to raise. We saw the love you all shared and the closeness you had and wanted that for ourselves. He was an inspiration to me as a father and helped me to see that life is for the living. From Bill I have learned that what really matters in the long run is to love your family, laugh often, and live large. His memory will live on in all our hearts.

Val Kristy Travis Lachlin & Kayla – our hearts are so heavy with sorrow and so full of sympathy for you. We got this word on that day, Don’s birthday, so we will always celebrate our good friend Bill on this day, as well as on many other days. Wish we were not in California right now, so we could be there for you. Feel our hugs!!!!!!

All our love and deepest sympathy,

Don & Diane

Val, Kristy and Kayla; thinking of you in this difficult time. Deepest condolence’s from my family to yours.

I have only known Bill for a short time but I consider myself lucky to call him my friend. I am going to miss the Friday pints, the 6 am stories but mostly I will miss him saying “you can’t make chicken soup out of chicken shit”. No matter how stressful work got, he could always make you laugh. You will be missed Mr. Bill.

God speed my friend.

Val and family.

For only having known Bill for the last 6 years and spending some amazing getaways together, we have come to know a very good friend who had a very jovial and easy going attitude.

We love both of you very much and Bill will be greatly missed.

Val, you and your family are in our hearts and thoughts.

Len & Cheryl, your friends from Edmonton

Val and family. We wish our deepest condolences for the loss of Bill. I hope that you can all remember all the great memories you had together, which I hope can help your healing process!! So sad for such an unfortunate loss of life!! Take care and our heart breaks with yours.

Shelly and Ed Oravec (your old tap dancing buddy!)

Our prayers are with you Val, Kristy, Kayla and family’s. We are deeply saddened by Bills sudden passing. He was an amazing person who we remember with great fondness. He will be missed by all.

The Giroux’s

It is with true sadness that Maurina and I write to offer our deepest condolences to Val and the Staples family. Bill was one of my closest friends, we met in Saskatoon and worked and socialized together for many years. I always felt indebted to Bill because he helped me get my first piping job in Calgary. He brought a love of life with him in all his endeavors, was big hearted and was always a pleasure to be around. He will truly be missed.