William Cromb

Cromb, William Taylor

William Taylor Cromb III, 92, of Nepean, Ontario, succumbed to a very short illness at the Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus, peacefully on Monday, December 14, 2020. Bill was born in Vegreville, Alberta on May 15, 1928 to William Taylor and Ethel (Wilson) Cromb. Bill married the love of his life, Beverley (Bev) Nicholson, in Edmonton, Alberta on July 31, 1954. Bev predeceased Bill by a mere two months. The family is happy that the couple is now reunited.

Bill was the pater familias of a large family and is survived by his loving children: Bill (Judy) of Calgary, Alberta, Ian of Kingston, Ontario, Barb (Lori Mason) of Toronto, Ontario, Patti (Fred Hosking) of Ottawa, and Marj (Tom Ford) of Toronto, Ontario; seven beloved grandchildren: Brenda (Alex Cooke) Cromb, Billy (Alex Blue) Cromb, Carly Mayer, Kate (Matthias Butscher) Ford, Scott  (Lauren Brazier) Ford, Christina Ford and Michael (Jessica Joaquin) Ford; cherished four great-grandchildren: Alice Cromb-Cooke, Eve Ford, Avery Ford and Arlo Butscher; and three Cromb nephews: James (Jay), Graham and David.

Bill was the last of his family, losing both parents and his beloved little brother James (Jim) and baby sister, Marianne, years ago.

Bill attended the University of Alberta, earning a Bachelor of Education degree alongside his wife, Bev in 1954. Bill retired from the Canadian Army holding the rank of Captain. He then launched into a civilian career in industrial relations, starting off at Canadian Celanese in Edmonton. In 1961 Bill moved the family to Ottawa to take up a post with the federal government. Bill moved around the civil service, holding positions at the Treasury Board and Transport Canada until his retirement in June of 1988.

After his retirement Bill and Bev hit the road in their RV, tramping around North America visiting every museum and historically significant site they could find. Their wanderlust took them as far as Alaska! The pair made countless trips across Canada to visit University chums and friends from their early married life in Edmonton. There were several trips to California to visit Bill’s favourite cousin, Graham Young, and annual trips to Texas or Florida to escape the Ottawa winter.

Bill was an honest, honourable man blessed with a fantastic sense of humour. His rather terrible bilingual puns were a particular source of mirth for him! Proud as punch of his family and their accomplishments, his favourite thing in life was when the family gathered, chatting and arguing politics and the news of the day. All who knew Bill remarked on his extensive vocabulary and his lack of reticence at using it in everyday conversation. Bill indulged in his lifelong interest in contemporary Chinese and Japanese military history to the end, amassing an impressive library.

The family would like to thank the residents -- especially Bev’s buddies who checked in on Bill these last two months while he was missing Bev so much -- and staff of the Stillwater Creek Retirement Community where Bill and Bev have lived since 2017.

A private, immediate family-only, funeral service was held at the Tubman Funeral Home on Richmond Road in Bell’s Corners. When the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted the family will host a celebration of Bill’s life.