Truro, NS October 4, 2024
After living a beautiful life of love and service to family, friends, community, and church, the family of William "Bill" Gatchell share the news of his peaceful passing at age 93, due to complications arising from Alzheimer's disease on Friday, October 4, 2024.
Born in Oxford, NS, the son of G. Ross and Annie (MacEachern) Gatchell,
Bill was the devoted husband to Greta (Hubley) for 67 years and father of Gregory Gatchell (Anne), Bridgewater, Krista Baker (Terry), Bridgewater, Nancie Gatchell-Dennis (Paul), Truro, and Sara Jane Gatchell (Jake Higgs) Strathroy, Ontario. Loving "Poppy" to Natasha Hillier (Brent), Ashley Norris (Brendan), Victoria Dennis (Elliott), Briana Baker (Nate), Emilie Gatchell (Ryan), William Dennis, William Gatchell (Rheegan), Cameron Dennis, Logan Higgs, and Addison Higgs; great grandchildren Cole, Ryker, Bryson Hillier, Noah, and Theo Norris; cherished uncle to many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his brother, Karl; sister-in-law, Mary (Mundle) Gatchell; as well as his parents.
Dad attended Mt. Allison University, where he obtained a degree in history. His physical education license was obtained at Dalhousie University and his teaching certificate at the Provincial Normal College. In 1954, he started his teaching career at New Germany Rural High, where a particular young science teacher caught his eye. Together, their personal and professional lives took them from New Germany to Center Consolidated before making the move to Truro in 1961. Under his mentorship, many students developed their sports, academic, and life skills. He taught for over thirty years, initially as a physical education teacher and later as a school guidance counselor, retiring in 1988.
As a young boy growing up in Oxford, baseball and hockey were Dad’s first loves, and many a night would be spent listening to the Toronto Maple Leafs and the St. Louis Cardinal games on the radio. He often said the only reason he got to play hockey as a kid was "he had a stick."
While Dad loved sports, he was most passionate about being a coach. Not only was he one of the most knowledgeable and innovative coaches from which to learn, he was also incredibly generous with his time and money. Under his watch, he ensured school athletics was never prohibitive to those who wanted to participate. He often said that his athletes were "The greatest group of young people that anyone could ever wish to have been associated". There was barely a weekend when he wasn’t on the road taking a team to a competition.
"Athletes make good coaches more often than coaches making good athletes." Dad had a lot of good athletes, and as a result, he became a good coach. He coached track and field for over thirty years. This started in 1955, when he was selected as the Nova Scotia track and field coach to participate in the Canadian Olympic training program in Toronto, and in 1957, he coached his New Germany boys and girls to capture their first provincial championship. During his involvement in Truro, he coached many athletes and teams to numerous provincial championships. He would often be seen into the evening at the TAAC grounds lining the track or raking the pits in preparation for the upcoming meet.
In 1957, he personally took up the sport of curling, and in the early 1960's, started the junior boys and later the junior girls curling programs. The result was many provincial championships but more importantly it opened up the sport to many student athletes. It was a source of pride that the program continues to flourish today. Dad wrote that it was his hope that his recognition and success might open the doors a little wider for all the wonderful coaches in Nova Scotia.
Dad was recognized with many awards and achievements including being inducted into the Canadian Curling Hall of fame, placed on the Truro Sport Heritage Honor Roll and the CEC wall of honor. He was a former Provincial Course Conductor, Provincial Curling Coordinator, National Curling Commissioner and held his level 3 technical coach / instructor certificate.
His proudest moment was coaching the first Nova Scotia Junior Ladies’ Curling Team to a Canadian National Title in 1980 and coaching over thirty Provincial curling champions, including athletes that would go on to national and international success. He was thankful for everything curling gave him. "May this great game of curling never stop producing champion Canadians like the ones I have had the opportunity of being associated with in this club."
While coaching was dad’s passion, family was dad's love and he often recognized mom as the "greatest coach" for coaching his "home team." Whether it was curling, football, field hockey, gymnastics, basketball, swimming, skating, soccer, or countless music festivals, his children and grandchildren could expect their "number one fan" in the stands.
As a young man, he was in a quartet from Oxford that sang throughout Nova Scotia. A charter member of the Novatones Barbershop Quartet, he was a member of the First United and Wesleyan United Church choirs. His beautiful singing voice made him a favorite and a cherished soloist at family and friend’s weddings. We will dearly miss Dad harmonizing with Mom on our annual "Happy Birthday" phone calls.
Dad left us with detailed letters and speeches capturing his beautiful and meticulous penmanship and his wry sense of humour. We have our memories of eventful camping trips, family gatherings on the May long weekend, and many sport related road trips with the cat, dog and goldfish in tow. We will always be able to fondly look back on summers spent at the cottage "God’s country", playing 45’s, horse shoes, checkers, crokinole and any other game we could imagine as dad was our consummate pal. He has left us these gifts and all of our lives will be forever enriched.
We love you dad!
"Thanks for the Memories. It won’t take very long to sing this little song. It’s only meant to say how much you’ve meant to me all along."
The family extends our heartfelt thanks to the VON and the numerous caregivers, who made it possible for Dad to remain at home with Mom until the end.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Church, the Truro Junior Curling Program, or the Truro TAAC Revitalization Project.
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