William Stuart was born on Thursday, April 21, 1957, in Kitchener to parents William Murray and Joanne Isabel (Ebel) Smith. The family was made complete with the arrival of his younger sister, Kim, in 1959. The Smiths resided in the Stanley Park area of the city, where Bill enjoyed his childhood, always playing baseball with the Secord Ave gang. They often visited Great Aunt Gert and Uncle Gib’s cottage at Lake Rosalind. Fishing adventures were boating or on the neighbour’s float! He attended Stanley Park Public School before moving on to Grand River Collegiate Institute. Bill’s youth included spending a lot of time with friends and fishing as a teenager!

Upon graduating from high school, Bill took a job with the City of Kitchener. Who knew then that he would remain with the city for the next 35 years, until his retirement in 2012. He spent much of his career in the sewage and pumping stations department. He made many friends through the years. Bill joined a 10-pin bowling league and enjoyed socializing with his teammates and friends.

In 2009, he moved back in with his mother and was her caregiver until her passing in 2011. He remained there and decided to have some home renovations done. A gentleman by the name of Kevin Hilgartner worked with Bill at the city, as well as doing renovations part-time. Flooring work required Bill to stay elsewhere, and he stayed at Kevin’s. Kevin’s sister, Sharon Hohl, arrived one day to visit. With the door unlocked, she went in to find this guy Bill on the deck. Kim had to go shopping, and Kevin was working on the renovations at Bill’s. The two connected immediately and enjoyed one another’s company. In time, Sharon and Bill began dating. Staying in Crawford with Sharon, Bill commuted to Kitchener for the last few months until retiring. Months later, they purchased a 10-acre rural property outside of Holland Centre, where together they created many memories. Bill loved his dog Jake, who was his travel partner back and forth to Crawford and who also shortly stayed with Sharon. After Jake passed in 2018, another Golden Doodle puppy, Sadie, joined them.

Bill enjoyed a simple life and particularly liked the freedom retirement brought him. He loved his electronic devices and always had to have the newest version. Bill loved everything and anything “Apple” and wasn’t afraid to figure out anything electronic. He enjoyed a special bond with Larry Steffler, a colleague from his days with the City of Kitchener. Larry moved north after retirement and settled near Wiarton, so it wasn’t uncommon for the two to head out on a tour regularly. They were often on the go together and complemented each other well. When not out on an adventure, they would talk on the phone. I am told it wasn’t uncommon for them to spend two plus hours chatting it up… enough said! On days less travelled, Larry was always a willing, experienced guy who built shelves, landscaped, and whatever help Bill needed.

Back at home, Bill enjoyed relaxing and loved his sports. The Leafs, Blue Jays, and Buffalo Bills were his teams, and he rarely missed a game. He was also drawn to reality TV and was a fan of the likes of Survivor, Big Brother, and American Idol, just to name a few. He was an extremely picky eater, but loved his food piping hot! He enjoyed eating at The Keg and was particularly fond of steak and lobster! His drink of choice? Appleton rum with a splash of Pepsi, or Stoli vodka, with tonic. Together with Sharon, he enjoyed travelling south during the winter months. They experienced a variety of destinations in the Caribbean, with their trip to St. Lucia being a highlight. They travelled in Ontario, also visiting the east coast provinces. Bill had travelled west before meeting Sharon and wanted to travel west to share the beauty there. Sadly, the planned trip had to be postponed due to health issues.

Bill enjoyed a great relationship with Sharon’s family. He formed a particularly close relationship with her grandchildren, Tristin, Lily, and Shelby. Along with Sharon, he rarely missed a school concert, assembly, or sporting event – always cheering them on. He always liked to hear what was happening in their lives and keep up with all their advancements. He was so proud of all their accomplishments and was there to support them in any way he could. Those of you who knew Bill know he could be confrontational (in the best sense of the word) and always enjoyed being right – but who doesn’t, right? He had a great sense of humour and enjoyed a good time, particularly with family and friends.

In recent months, Bill’s health challenges began to catch up with him, and his mobility was greatly restricted. He remained positive throughout, although the hospital did not always have the right sports channels… All joking aside, Bill’s health challenges were numerous, but no one envisioned his sudden passing on the morning of Friday, September 19, 2025, at Hanover & District Hospital. He was 68 years young.

Loving partner and best friend of Sharon (Hilgartner) Hohl. He will be dearly missed by his sister, Kim (Bill) Sparks of Waterloo. Bill will be fondly remembered by Sharon’s children, Mel Emke and Wes Hohl (Hillary Makin), and her grandchildren, Tristin Emke (Breelyn Konrad-Dolson), Lily Emke (Colton Tanner), and Shelby Hohl (Owen Tennant). Beloved uncle of Krista (Dwayne) Kennedy of Ayr, Jenn (Jesse) LeBlanc of Kitchener, and Kori (Katrina) Howe of Woodstock, New Brunswick. Bill will be missed by great-nieces and great-nephew, Taylor, Forest, Jessica, Autumn, Lexi, and Kiera; three great great-nephews and one great great-niece. Brother-in-law of Jim Hilgartner of Mount Forest, Kevin (Kim) Hilgartner, and Thressa Hilgartner, all of Kitchener. Bill was predeceased by his brother-in-law Brian Hilgartner (2018), sister-in-law Judy Hilgartner (2023), son-in-law Leander Emke (2024), and his parents William and Joanne (Ebel) Smith.

A casual come and go gathering honouring Bill’s life will be held at the Klages Mill, Chesley, on Saturday, October 4, 2025, from 1 – 4 p.m., with words of remembrance shared at 2 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Canadian Mental Health Association would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.