Obituary of William "Bill" Randolph Harwood

HARWOOD: Dr. William (Bill) Harwood passed away quietly after a brief illness at the Assiniboine Centre on Sunday, October 18th, 2015 at the age of 94. Bill was born on July 24th, 1921 in Brandon to Oscar and Dorothy Harwood where he spent his childhood years. After his graduation from Brandon College in 1943 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, Bill joined the Royal Canadian Navy. Following the end of the war, Bill enrolled at McGill in the School of Dentistry where he was awarded the gold medal for academic achievement, having finished first in his class four years in a row. During that time in 1948, he married Phyllis Finch who would become his lifetime love for over sixty-seven years. Although he was asked to join the Faculty of Dentistry upon graduation, Bill chose to return to Brandon where his roots were and to be closer to his beloved Clear Lake. In 1950, he established his dental practice where he practised for over forty years. In recognition of his lifelong commitment and excellence to his profession and to his community, Bill was first appointed a lifetime member of the Manitoba Dental Association where he had served on many advisory boards and committees and later inducted as a Fellow into the International College of Dentists. Bill enjoyed a special rapport with his patients and after he retired, he took quiet pleasure and pride when a former patient would tell him they still had a filling of his from work he had done several decades earlier. While quiet and gentle by nature, Bill was passionate about life. He was never happier than when he was with his family. Whether he was fishing at "The Lake", messing around with the boat or just puttering around the house or the cottage, Phyll and the kids were never far away and usually somewhere in the thick of it. Bill loved nature and loved to share these passions with the family, whether it was on one of his famous boating picnic excursions at the lake, searching for haunted houses during duck hunting season or memorable trips to the Carberry Sandhills. He loved to garden and was famous for his begonias. A true conservationist, he served on several advisory committees with Riding Mountain National Park and was an active member of Ducks Unlimited. Duck hunting season was sacrosanct and both he and his good friend, George Gooden, continued to hunt well into their eighties. Upon retirement, Bill and Phyll contracted the travel bug and undertook many adventurous trips ranging from Alaska to Iran to Australia. Simply put, Bill was the quintessential "Man for all Seasons". Bill is survived by his wife of 67 years, Phyllis (nee Finch), his sons, Jeff and Randy, his daughter Nancy Kelleher (John) and his two granddaughters, Molly (Adrian McKerchar) and Alice, and brother-in-law, Allan Magnacca. An only child, he was pre-deceased by his parents, Oscar and Dorothy Harwood. A celebration of Bill's life will take place on Monday, October 26th, 2015 at 1:30 p.m. at Central United Church (corner of 8th Street and Lorne Avenue), Brandon, Manitoba. A reception will follow at the Church with interment to take place at the Brandon Cemetery. In lieu of flowers and for those who wish, donations in Bill's memory may be made to the Brandon Regional Health Centre Foundation – "Identified Needs Fund", 150 McTavish Avenue East, Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 2B3 or to Ducks Unlimited Canada, P.O. Box 1160, Stonewall, MB, R0C 2Z0.