Obituary for Dr. William G. "Dr. Bill" Ives MD
Our Dad, William G. Ives - Dr. Bill - born on April 27th, 1927 in nearby Collingwood, died on September 17th, 2021, at home and at peace. We would like to thank St. Elizabeth Nursing, especially Lisa and Angela, for helping Dad to fulfill his wish to remain at home on his farm, Watership Down.
He loved and was loved by a sprawling, unruly, affectionate herd of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, who frequently targeted his farm as the ideal weekend/holiday location for barn baseball matches, marathon sessions of games and card-playing, and parties of all sorts. Christmas will never be the same! He often shut out the ruckus by seeking sanctuary in his bedroom, watching the Blue Jays, win or lose, in an oasis of calm shared by his loyal sidekicks Juan Fernando and Pepe.
His life was as local as local could be, serving as town doctor in Stayner alongside his own father Ray for twenty years and then for another forty after Ray’s death.
Dad was a stalwart Lions Club member, and after investing inordinate amounts of cash into the annual truck draw fund-raisers, was tickled pink when Sally won a prize in the COVID-adapted monthly draw! Finally!
He actively supported both church and community throughout his life; a commitment to service not constrained by institutionalized religious convention. The heart of his belief is best expressed by Matthew 5:3-12, commonly known as ‘the Beatitudes’; that serving the common good is a fundamental element of all faiths. He shared the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi who, when asked of his Hindu affiliation responded, “Yes, I am, I am also a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a Jew.”
While his primary focus was on his medical practice in Simcoe County, social justice was a guiding principle in all his endeavours and led him to help others even farther afield, most notably in Ecuador. He made annual trips into the back-country of this South American nation for over thirty years, applying his skill, will, wacky humour, and wonderful generosity of spirit to set up travelling clinics and treat people who might never before have received medical care. He was often accompanied in this volunteer work by family and friends who were privileged to witness first-hand how he made the world a better place by practicing, rather than preaching, his faith in humanity.
His years of service were recognized by a number of awards, such as the 1985 Nobel Prize for Peace as a member of the International Physicians group, and by a Commemorative Medal for Service on the occasion of Canada’s 125th year as a nation. One of his proudest sporting moments was when he ran a leg of the 1988 Olympic Torch Relay.
While Grandad Ives was an accomplished grower and presenter of flowers, Dad applied the same green thumb to creating a magnificently diverse arboretum on the farm. Even well into his nineties, he could be found channeling his inner F1 driver on a double-wide tractor mower amidst the trees of his beloved parkland.
He never sought the spotlight. He didn’t need to, glowing with such wit and warmth that people couldn’t help but notice and respond to him. Dad was mischief incarnate – Stayner’s Patch Adams – an extraordinary trickster whose glinting humour never failed to elicit both groans and grins from family and friends as they fell victim to this surprise or that prank. His penchant for puns was unparalleled and probably contributed to his extraordinary Scrabble-playing ability.
His trademark energy blossomed even more fruitfully as a founding member of the Clearview Community Theatre group, where his enthusiasm more than made up for any musical or acting deficiencies. (Even his superlative skill in Scrabble couldn’t make ‘ukulele’ into a four-letter word, but his playing of the instrument…!)
Dad was predeceased by our mom, Joan (October 2001) and, in a devastating year for our entire family, by his sons Michael (August 2020) and Sandy (October 2020) and his grandson Aiden (May 2021). He is survived by four daughters (Jennifer, Jillian, Judith, and Sarah), three sons (David, Matthew, and Edward), their partners, an absolute throng of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, best friends Grenville and Jo, and many, many friends near and far.
Our sadness is profound, but it is not grief.
As we celebrate a gloriously realized life of purpose, gracefully concluded, one of Dad’s favourite sayings - intended to encourage action over intention - comes to mind: ‘If you let a smile be your umbrella, you’ll end up with a mouthful of rainwater!’
You are welcome to attend a Memorial Service on Sunday October 3, 2021 at Ives Park, 255 Oak Street, Stayner at 1 o'clock. The ceremony will be held outdoors. Please dress for the weather and bring your lawn chair if possible. The ceremony will also be Live Streamed. The link will be available closer to the day under the Photos & Video tab above.
If desired, a donation to Bill's grandson's memorial fund: www.aidenboothmemorialfund.com, UNICEF or your local food bank would be appreciated by Bill's family.
He loved and was loved by a sprawling, unruly, affectionate herd of children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, who frequently targeted his farm as the ideal weekend/holiday location for barn baseball matches, marathon sessions of games and card-playing, and parties of all sorts. Christmas will never be the same! He often shut out the ruckus by seeking sanctuary in his bedroom, watching the Blue Jays, win or lose, in an oasis of calm shared by his loyal sidekicks Juan Fernando and Pepe.
His life was as local as local could be, serving as town doctor in Stayner alongside his own father Ray for twenty years and then for another forty after Ray’s death.
Dad was a stalwart Lions Club member, and after investing inordinate amounts of cash into the annual truck draw fund-raisers, was tickled pink when Sally won a prize in the COVID-adapted monthly draw! Finally!
He actively supported both church and community throughout his life; a commitment to service not constrained by institutionalized religious convention. The heart of his belief is best expressed by Matthew 5:3-12, commonly known as ‘the Beatitudes’; that serving the common good is a fundamental element of all faiths. He shared the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi who, when asked of his Hindu affiliation responded, “Yes, I am, I am also a Muslim, a Christian, a Buddhist, and a Jew.”
While his primary focus was on his medical practice in Simcoe County, social justice was a guiding principle in all his endeavours and led him to help others even farther afield, most notably in Ecuador. He made annual trips into the back-country of this South American nation for over thirty years, applying his skill, will, wacky humour, and wonderful generosity of spirit to set up travelling clinics and treat people who might never before have received medical care. He was often accompanied in this volunteer work by family and friends who were privileged to witness first-hand how he made the world a better place by practicing, rather than preaching, his faith in humanity.
His years of service were recognized by a number of awards, such as the 1985 Nobel Prize for Peace as a member of the International Physicians group, and by a Commemorative Medal for Service on the occasion of Canada’s 125th year as a nation. One of his proudest sporting moments was when he ran a leg of the 1988 Olympic Torch Relay.
While Grandad Ives was an accomplished grower and presenter of flowers, Dad applied the same green thumb to creating a magnificently diverse arboretum on the farm. Even well into his nineties, he could be found channeling his inner F1 driver on a double-wide tractor mower amidst the trees of his beloved parkland.
He never sought the spotlight. He didn’t need to, glowing with such wit and warmth that people couldn’t help but notice and respond to him. Dad was mischief incarnate – Stayner’s Patch Adams – an extraordinary trickster whose glinting humour never failed to elicit both groans and grins from family and friends as they fell victim to this surprise or that prank. His penchant for puns was unparalleled and probably contributed to his extraordinary Scrabble-playing ability.
His trademark energy blossomed even more fruitfully as a founding member of the Clearview Community Theatre group, where his enthusiasm more than made up for any musical or acting deficiencies. (Even his superlative skill in Scrabble couldn’t make ‘ukulele’ into a four-letter word, but his playing of the instrument…!)
Dad was predeceased by our mom, Joan (October 2001) and, in a devastating year for our entire family, by his sons Michael (August 2020) and Sandy (October 2020) and his grandson Aiden (May 2021). He is survived by four daughters (Jennifer, Jillian, Judith, and Sarah), three sons (David, Matthew, and Edward), their partners, an absolute throng of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, best friends Grenville and Jo, and many, many friends near and far.
Our sadness is profound, but it is not grief.
As we celebrate a gloriously realized life of purpose, gracefully concluded, one of Dad’s favourite sayings - intended to encourage action over intention - comes to mind: ‘If you let a smile be your umbrella, you’ll end up with a mouthful of rainwater!’
You are welcome to attend a Memorial Service on Sunday October 3, 2021 at Ives Park, 255 Oak Street, Stayner at 1 o'clock. The ceremony will be held outdoors. Please dress for the weather and bring your lawn chair if possible. The ceremony will also be Live Streamed. The link will be available closer to the day under the Photos & Video tab above.
If desired, a donation to Bill's grandson's memorial fund: www.aidenboothmemorialfund.com, UNICEF or your local food bank would be appreciated by Bill's family.