WILLIAM HERBERT MCELREA

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WILLIAM HERBERT MCELREA December 31, 1918 - December 1, 2016 Suddenly, after a brief illness, William (Bill) McElrea passed away at the age of 97. He was a good and gentle soul whose life was filled with laughter, family, music, books, and sports. Left to miss him greatly are his daughters Caroline (Lynn) Peterson and Karen McElrea; his brother Ken; grandsons Todd and Paul; great-grandchildren Angellica, Keeley, Layne, and Evangelene. He was predeceased by his wife and best friend Grace, son Kerry, brother Art, and sisters Phyllis and Mildred. Bill was a great dad and loving grandfather and great-grandfather, with his sharp wit, quirky observations, and endless supply of puns - anything for a laugh. He kept his kids awake with spine-tingling tales of the Wolfalo, and lulled them to sleep with sweet too-ra-loo-ras. He had a beautiful tenor voice and played his keyboard daily, singing his way through an ever-expanding playlist and attending musical nights at Kildonan House right to the end. He was an optimist who seldom complained, and took great pleasure in life's many small gifts. But he lived for sports. In his youth, Bill was best known in goal, in soccer and hockey, and for his skill on the basketball court. He played for numerous organizations, including the Winnipeg Falcons junior hockey league. He also enjoyed baseball, boxing, swimming, snooker, and bowling; and he and his West End pals, the Lazy L Club, joined forces to compete in several sports. He was a lifelong curler, and he and Grace golfed every day they could. He was also modest, and his children only learned from others and old newspaper clippings what a star he'd been. Bill trained as a pilot during the war but was grounded by a heart murmur, after which he was stationed at Stevenson Airport as an electrician. Soon his heart - and the odd lunch - was stolen by Grace, a fetching mechanic there; they married in 1945 and made a great team until Grace's passing 64 years later. Bill held a deep affection for nature and for all furred or feathered beings, with a special place in his heart for dogs and horses. He was never completely happy unless there was a dog in the house and by his side on his wide-ranging walks. He did well in school but had to contribute to the family in hard times, so at 16 began work at the Public Press, where he remained until retirement. Starting as delivery boy, he apprenticed as a bookbinder, eventually becoming bindery foreman. He was a private person, and his colleagues became so curious about his secretive daily lunchtime outings they finally tailed him, only to find him reclining on a lawn chair in Assiniboine Park with a book: his idea of heaven. The family would like to thank Doctors Raymond Martens and Jason Sawchuk for their wonderful care over the years; Diane and his home care aides and VAC, who made his life easier and allowed him to live independently; Renee, Terri, and the staff at Kildonan House and the friends he made there, who made his life more enjoyable; Audra, for making sure he could hear the birds; Heidi and Alison for their expertise in seating arrangements; Ken and Amelia at Ebbeling; and the compassionate staff of Concordia Hospital's N1 South for their kindness during Bill's final days. Cremation has taken place and at Bill's request, there will be no service. In lieu of flowers, a donation in Bill's memory to the Winnipeg Humane Society, Siloam Mission, or the Nature Conservancy of Canada would be appreciated. "Safe home, Papa." www.voyagefuneralhome.com

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 10, 2016