William Howard Twaites

William (Bill) Howard Twaites (1947 – 2025)

Bill Twaites of Pender Island (S,DÁYES) BC, died peacefully at Saanich Peninsula Hospital’s Palliative Care Unit on Sunday, September 28. Survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Sandy Shreve along with several nieces and nephews, he was predeceased by his father, William George Twaites (1918 – 2003), mother, Helen Victoria (nee Harvey) Twaites (1921-2008) and sister Marion Ruth Twaites (1949 – 2018), all of Salmon Arm, BC.

Born in Toronto in 1947, Bill moved to British Columbia in 1971 after travelling through Europe on his motorcycle and earning his BSc from the University of Waterloo. Over the years he worked in various jobs, ranging from driving for Avis in Toronto, a brief stint in the Trident lab at the University of British Columbia and working in MacMillan Bloedel’s Vancouver plywood mill. In the early ‘80s, he changed careers and entered the Professional Development Program in Simon Fraser University’s Education Department. After receiving his teaching certificate, he taught math, physics and chemistry for more than 25 years as a teacher on call for the Vancouver School Board, and, as a sessional for some dozen years, teaching high school math for the Adult Basic Education Program at Douglas College. He and Sandy moved to Pender Island in 2012, where they immediately felt at home. Bill particularly enjoyed looking after his vegetable garden and sharing laughter and camaraderie with his buddies over coffee at the Slow Coast Café.

Heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff at the Pender Island Medical Clinic, at BC Cancer in Victoria, and at Saanich Peninsula Hospital's Acute Care and Palliative Care Units for the exemplary care they gave Bill over the years. In lieu of flowers, donations to any of these organizations would be welcomed.

Bill’s remains were interred in a green burial at the Pender Island Cemetery on October 7. Afterward, friends gathered at Slow Coast to enjoy ‘coffees on Bill’.