Obituary of William Blair BUZAN

March 18, 1930 – Montreal, Quebec
May17, 2021 – Calgary, Alberta

Buzan, William (Bill) Blair passed away peacefully after an 8-week brief illness due to a concussion after a fall, on Monday May 17, 2021 at the age of 91 years to be with his Lord and Saviour. 

Bill was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1930 and Bill loved all sports and especially playing basketball; he attended the Baptist church youth groups and graduating from McGill University with his accounting degree. At McGill Bill was a classmate with Star Trek’s actor William Shatner and all of the McGill classmates wondered what Mr. Shatner was doing taking drama classes (LOL). 

Bill can trace his family roots as far back as France to 1632 (as “Buzanne’s) and likely to the town of La Rochelle on the NW Normandy coast where, as Protestants, the family fled, were smuggled to England, in 1632 after the last major defeat of the Huguenot by France’s Catholic led armies. His father George emigrated from England to Canada, while George’s two other brothers settled in Australia and the USA. 

As a leader in his Young people’s group in Montreal, Bill led many of the summer camp ministries in Lake Memphremagog Cedar Lake Lodge where they drank ginger beer and often visited the Abbaye St. Benoit by canoe across the Lake for lunch – the camp boys ate with the monks where there was silence except for Bible verses said by the monks, and the camp girls ate with the nuns and enjoyed free and open conversations. Bill followed this love of ministry with starting the Alberta Baptist men’s retreats  - including Canmore Baptist, Shilo Baptist, Bowness Baptist, First Baptist, Bonavista Baptist, Northmount Baptist, Westview Baptist, Altadore Baptist and Crescent Heights Baptist -  at the Entheos Retreat Centre and he organized the speakers and the topics they would bring to the men. Meeting Bill said one of his early friends “was like meeting a hurricane – fast, furious and always left an impression.” Bill extended his love of camping to the Dad’s in Charge of Kids Camping where for 24 years he met with the DICK’s campers and their kids at the Mount Kidd campground in Kananaskis loving the bacon and egger breakfast sandwiches, and campfire meals. Bill held court there telling his jokes for hours on end to whoever would lend an ear. (Thanks Shawn for setting that up every year.) 

Bill wanted to see Western Canada and when he was offered the choice of Winnipeg, Edmonton, Vancouver or Calgary to article in, he chose Calgary and moved there in 1953 with Price Waterhouse Coopers. Bill made Calgary his home and remained there ever since. After receiving his CA designation, Bill was controller of one of the divisions of Husky Oil Operations and stayed active in oil and gas throughout his lifetime. Bill met his wife Eileen while at Husky and after the division was moved to Cody, Wyoming, Bill remained in Calgary then Bill became the VP Marketing for Mannesman, a German pipe company that was eventually bought out by Algoma Steel in 1973. Thereafter the next chapter in Bill’s work life took him on his company journey raising funds for USA and Canadian oil & gas drilling exploration; mining exploits in the USA and Canada; Canadian movies such as Meatballs, Atlantic City and Happy Birthday to Me; and other opportunities that took Bill to walking the streets of downtown Calgary and into numerous executive offices. 

Bill had an adventurous spirit and this led him to join the Glencoe Club for tennis and support the Stampeders in the Mewata Stadium days prior to moving to McMahon Stadium. Bill became a Stampeder associate director and according to one of the players, the Stamps’ survival in the 70’s and 80’s was certainly due in part to Bill’s tremendous support of the fan base, team and the players. The family can recall a phone call from Willie Burden, the Stamps first 1000-yard rusher, to Bill, where Mr. Burden called excitedly to tell Bill that he had bought his mom her first house with his first pay cheque. Bill attended 17 Grey Cups including the fog bowl and the 1971 GC where the Stamps defeated the Argos in the rain in Vancouver BC. Bill was hoarse for a week afterwards but he kept clanging his red Calgary Stamps cow bell for everyone to hear. Tales of the QB/ receiver combination Peter Liske and Terry Evanshen, church breakfasts with Coach Wally Buono, QB Danny Barrett, receivers Alan Pitts, and Bill’s close contacts with Stu Laird and player/ coach John Hufnagel and many others kept Bill and his family deeply connected with the Red and White. At one point Ron Rook Sr. left the Grey Cup in the care of the Buzans to take the Cup to another speaking engagement which they gladly did, after posing with the Grey Cup for many candid shots. Later both he and close friend Jack Irwin prompted the beginning of the tailgating pre-game ritual prior to every home game on the East side of the McMahon parking lot where Jack’s son Shawn Irwin, Bill’s sons Larry, daughter in law Christine Buzan, son Rodney, Scott Manlow with a host of regular attenders for 26 straight seasons and 264 games provided pre-game Spolumbos, hot dogs, M&M burgers and desserts plus cold beverages for free each game. Bill’s favorite entrée was an overcooked (burnt) Spolumbo. A bucket was placed on the serving table for donations in support of two Canadian charities providing house building and community relief to both Guatemala (Arms of Jesus based in Ontario) and the Dominican Republic (Partners In Deed based in Calgary) – and that generous support raised $10,000 per season on a regular basis for these charities with corporate matching contributions. The tailgater were very special to Bill and provided him with endless possibilities for networking, meeting hundreds of CFL supporters from every CFL team (who were all welcome), supporting the Stampeders and telling his favorite jokes.

Bill challenged the ski slopes of Norquay and Sunshine in those early days in Calgary and at Sunshine he made multiple assaults climbing up to the top of what is now the Great Divide wearing non-slip sealskin ski covers on the bottom his skis to climb with, as there were no chair lifts built at that time. Bill spent the early summers with family in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and then later enjoyed many summers in Windermere, B.C. in the company of his sister and family between 1966 and 1992 with tennis, all the local hiking (and singing and yelling “Yooooo Hooooo” while climbing the switchbacks) and fishing adventures that he could take his family on, living life up at the community backyard campfires telling stories and acting out skits, and swimming in the, then, quiet waters in the Kootenays. With so many trips clocked between Calgary and Windermere the return trip was always marked by a rousing chorus of the Calgary Song as Bill’s car cleared the first hill showing the Calgary lights and skyline. Bill will forever be remembered for always having a welcoming personality and clean joke of the day to tell to strangers, and for his love of food give-aways such as candy, French bread loaves from the Palliser Hotel and corn on the cob to neighbours. 

Bill loved both the Stampeders and Flames and the family remembers the call from friend “Normie” Kwong, a co-owner of the Flames, telling Bill the Atlanta Flames were coming to Calgary and asking Bill how many Flames seasons tickets he wanted in the Corral. Bill parlayed those great seats into 26 pairs in the Saddledome so all of the family could have their seats in the Dome. Bill was honored a few years ago by the Flames as one of the longest season ticket holders and given a signed Joel Otto hockey sweater. As many of you know, Bill loved cheering for the underdog in every sporting event (why we the family always asked??!!) which led to many nights of yelling and supporting the Flames in their quest for the Stanley Cup. Bill received a copy of the referee’s game sheet from the Flames’ winning game against the Montreal Canadians in Montreal citing all the goals, assists, penalties and names. A treasured item in the Bill Collection as it’s known. 

Bill’s favorite expressions include the following - “chiseled” “he who hesitates is lost” “Oh ye of little faith” “Green side up” “Yonder bar” “There’s one that’ll put a dent in your car” “Where does he think he’s going?” “Ba Dooing” “That’s enough to jar your aunt’s preserves” “Something for the pot boy” “Watch this” “the Garden of Eden” “put ‘er there” “the Dirty Deed” nicknames for places “Upper Miami (Grandpa George named that place)” “walk to The Pacific” “Freeze your yonders off” “Fantastic” “You louse!” “Shooshing down the slopes” and he used these words abundantly throughout his long life. Bill’s knowledge of Quebec French got his son Rodney in a bit of trouble when Rodney and his friend John wrote and played out a skit in their grade 7 French class and to their dismay they received a very poor grade due to the Quebec expressions having no basis in the “Monsieur and Madame Thibaut” French they were supposed to be learning. We are reminded often of his favorite foods - Thanksgiving turkey legs; burnt toast, corn on the cob, Halloween candy, MacKay’s walnut ice cream, BC cherries, toast, jam and bananas, hot dogs with mustard, diet coke and Werther’s Original butterscotch hard candies 

Bill was firmly planted in his faith of Jesus Christ, his Lord and Saviour, his love of his Young People’s group in Quebec and his church in Calgary; he is now is clothed in a beautiful new robe of righteousness. Bill’s favorite Bible verse and life theme is found in Hebrews 12: Verses 1 to 3. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 

Bill is survived by his loving wife Eileen (nee Thorne) married for 62 wonderful years, his son Larry (Christine) and their three sons, Justin, Connor and Dillon (Katie) with Bill’s great-grandson Miles; son Rodney (Beth) and their two sons Colin and Evan, and daughter Diane (Rick) and their daughter Shantal and son Austin. Bill is also survived by his sister Joyce Wainman from Ontario and was predeceased by his parents Winona and George Buzan, and his older sister Beryl Valestuk. 

We are so glad Bill is in heaven with no more pain, with fresh legs and an abundance of others to share his jokes with. And with that all the people said….Amen. 

Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Bill’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

The family wishes to extend its thanks to the staff at Foothills and Rocky View hospital for their kindness and care to our father in his last few weeks there. 

In living memory of William Buzan, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB T2X 3J3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.