William (Bill) McIntosh

January 6, 1936 – March 29, 2011

Bill passed away suddenly in the afternoon of March 29 at the Invermere Hospital. He is survived by his wife Julie, son Don (Lexi), grandsons Tristen and Jesse, daughter Heather (Jim), granddaughters Megan and Jessica, brother Ewen (Dorothy), nieces, nephews and cousins.

Bill was born in Invermere on January 6, 1936. He attended school in Invermere. He married Julie (Moore) on September 19, 1959. They lived in the Invermere area where Bill worked at everything from “horse logger” to truck hauling to ranching. He played hockey in his youth.

With Eddie Mountain and a couple of others with a dream, Bill was a founding member of the Columbia Valley Rockies Junior B hockey team. Until his death, Bill remained an active Rockies’ Board member and was very involved in fundraising activities, such as bull riding and wood pile.

Bill’s Big Hands

Bill’s shaken hands with many of you all,

And I’m sure they made most of yours feel small.

HIs hands were big for a reason you see,

They held together a community.

Many a coffee cup, they held with you,

As he laughed, listened and planned what to do.

Your drink was never empty, always full,

Those big hands most likely poured you a pull.

And dice they could throw, but not a “flip flop”,

More so a “slam” onto the table top.

Bill’s big hands worked hard for many long years,

Steering the wheel and shifting the gears.

They’ve gripped the hockey boards and opened the gates,

Helped with setup, then watched the bull riders’ fates.

God gave Bill big hands – not because he was tall,

But because he had so much to GIVE us all!

• By Heather.

Joins us in a celebration of Bill’s life at the Eddie Mountain Memorial Arena at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2011. Donations may be made to the Columbia Valley Rockies.