Obituary of Bill Henderson

George Blois (Bill) Henderson, 86, of Westville, died peacefully at the Aberdeen Hospital on July 19, 2020, grateful for a full life. Bill was born on a farm at Union Road, P.E.I. on December 23, 1933, to Fred and Florence (Hardy) Henderson. The family moved to Charlottetown at the start of WWII. In his teens, after several odd jobs including delivering telegraphs by bicycle, Bill apprenticed with an electrician in Charlottetown. That stint set him up for a career in the Royal Canadian Air Force, which he joined in 1953 as an Instrument and Electrical Technician, stationed first at CFB Rockcliffe. The aircraft he would help maintain over 35 years of service ranged from the Lancaster bomber and the Dakota transporter to the anti-submarine patroller Argus and the Sea King helicopter. His work took him on missions all over the world. He served at CFB Summerside (1959-1968 and 1976-1983), CFB Baden-Söllingen, Germany (1956-1959 and 1968-1971), and CFB Trenton (1972-1975). He ended his career at CFB Shearwater, N.S., where he got his sea legs on the HMCS Margaree in 1983, retiring as a Master Warrant Officer in 1988. Bill had many passions. He started hunting on P.E.I., and then became a competitive trap and skeet shooter. (He was still able to hit 25 out of 25 on a round of skeet at 80.) He also built and flew radio-controlled model aircraft – and pranged a few. He loved fishing, gardening and reading, especially history books. Near the end of his life, Bill suffered from Alzheimer’s and lung disease. He entered the Glen Haven Manor in New Glasgow in July 2019, but never lost his sense of humour or gratitude, especially for his family. “I love you all to death,” he told us. “I’m grateful for everything. I kind of slid into where I wanted to be. I had a good life, an interesting life.” He was particularly grateful for his wife, Margaret Ann (nee Campbell of Stellarton), whom he leaves along with his daughters Elizabeth Ann Liebscher (Wilf) of Westville, and Rachelle Henderson (Graeme Hamilton) of Montreal, as well as his grandchildren Michael Richard (Georgina) of Dartmouth, Jennifer Tober (Jeff) of Dartmouth, Toni Kirsten Liebscher (Grant ) of Ottawa, Claire Henderson Hamilton of Montreal and Alec Henderson Hamilton of Berlin, Germany, and, finally, his great grandchildren Serena and Alexis Tober of Dartmouth. Bill was predeceased by his parents, Fred and Florence (Hardy) Henderson of Charlottetown, sister Berdina “Deanie” Gould (Dan) of Moncton, and brother Ralph Henderson (Paulette Mutch) of Union Road, P.E.I. Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of his life will follow at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer Society of Canada would be welcome. The family is immensely grateful to the staff at Glen Haven Manor for the exceptional care they gave our beloved Bill, Dad and Poppie.