GODFREY WILLIAMS

The local butcher will have to reduce future English Banger productions with the passing of Godfrey “Gabby” Williams, aged 79, on October 18th 2018.   Godfrey is survived by his kindred spirit, Mary, and their three children, Simon (Susan), Tom (Amy) and Matthew (Allison), his six joyful Grandchildren, Jennifer, Katherine, Lauren, Brendan, Clara and Lucy and his beloved sister Margaret (Geoffrey).

Born a Welshman, Godfrey, fascinated by Math’s, Sciences and his respective pursuit of a Meccano Set #10, studied and received a Doctorate in Engineering at the University of Wales in Swansea.   This is also where he met the love of his life, Mary.   Godfrey was able to literally sweep Mary off her feet through his English Ballroom dancing skills that both he and Mary had great fondness for.

They were soon married and moved to Bishop’s Stortford, a town north of London, where they started to grow their family.  An oversees job opportunity had Godfrey and family immigrating to Canada in the late seventies and establishing a home in the small but growing town of Kanata.   Family life was paramount to Godfrey, with traditional Sunday roasts that were mandated weekly, subsequently becoming the cornerstone event of the Williams family dynamic until this day.   All of Godfrey’s proud children pursued Engineering in his footsteps and in retrospect are all extremely grateful in their parent’s decision to move to Canada and the respective opportunities it gave them all.

With an empty nest, Godfrey and Mary decided to pursue another common dream of acquiring a bit of land where their gardening and landscaping interests could be challenged.  Additionally, Godfrey’s love for carpentry and woodworking became heavily leveraged with various ornate structures being built on the property over the years.

Visiting with his children’s families, especially his Grandchildren (whose eldest named him “Gabby”) was a continued joy for Godfrey and also helped avoid some of Canada’s “wintery” months with two of his children having moved to warmer climates.

His dancing abilities that first brought him and Mary together were kept in shape with his and Mary’s passion for English Country Dancing.   The St John’s Parrish community was another focus that helped him continually exercise his leadership abilities and spirituality.  These activities provided Godfrey with a huge network of friends and community that were of great importance to him.

Godfrey will be truly missed by his family and friends.   Rest in peace Gabby.

A memorial service to celebrate Godfrey’s life will be held at the St John’s Anglican Church, 325 Sandhill Road, Kanata on Saturday, October 27 at 11:00 a.m.    In lieu of Flowers, contributions, in Godfrey’s name, to the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice would be appreciated. https://www.imakeanonlinedonation.org/hospicecareottawa/INMEMHCO/


To honour the memory of Godfrey Williams, please consider a donation to Hospice Care Ottawa – the Ruddy-Shenkman Hospice.

In memoriam donations can be made online by clicking here

Or by calling 613-260-2906 ext. 222

Hospice Care Ottawa is a community-based charitable organization.  They offer palliative and end-of-life care, at no charge, to individuals and their loved ones.   Delivery of services is made possible through the support of dedicated staff and many volunteers from the community.  Programs include Residential Hospice Care, In-Home Support, Day Hospice and Family Support.

Thank you.

www.hospicecareottawa.ca

Charitable Registration Number 11896 3701 RR0001