Obituary of William Theophilus DeHaney

De Haney: Dr. William Theophilus, beloved husband of Violet and dear father of Suzanne, Jason, and Tony, passed away with family by his side on February 28th, 2018 at the Brandon Regional Health Centre at the age of 87 years. William was born in Hanover, Jamaica on April 28th, 1930 to parents George and Matilda. He went to live with his four aunts, the Bowen sisters, Aunts Harriet, Rachel, Sarah and Kate, when his parents died, and he was raised as a brother alongside Sam Bowen. When he started school at the age of eight, he knew how to read, learning first at home, from the bible. By his teen years, he was always surrounded by books, a valuable commodity growing up, though he could not attend high school due to their fees. Eventually, he completed all his high school courses by correspondence and then went on to teach as a probationary teacher. Bill's first post-secondary training was at Mico Teachers College in Kingston, Jamaica graduating in 1955. With two years of teaching experience, he became the Head Teacher of a school. As a confirmed Anglican, he filled the Chairman's search for a catechist. Five years later he studied economics at The University of the West Indies and then worked in the Housing Department. He studied sociology at the University of Manitoba, where he met his wife. After graduating with his Master of Arts degree in the spring of 1967, he taught Sociology at The University of Manitoba and in the Faculty of Dentistry. Bill then moved to Edmonton to pursue his PhD at the University of Alberta. He married Violet during the Christmas season of 1968 and eventually returned to Manitoba in the Fall of 1971. While completing his doctoral studies, he taught at the university in Brandon and had two children. He taught for over 30 years at BU and enjoyed traveling to Jamaica and Saskatoon on sabbaticals, and to Halifax and Mexico City for conferences, the latter in which he was proud to have reached the top of the pyramid. Bill always encouraged the development of his children's interests, such as in sports and music. He took pleasure in gardening and planting trees, reading poetry, watching professional cricket and soccer. He loved to play scrabble and discuss the news of the day. He always cherished his time with family and friends, and also looked forward to the home visits by his family doctor, Dr. Groves. Son of George Phillip and Matilda De Haney (nee Turner), William is also predeceased by brothers Phillip and Egbert (Brother D) and is survived by his sister Ida M. Taylor-Grant. He leaves behind his wife, Violet De Haney (nee Lulashnyk), and their two children, Suzanne Elizabeth and Jason Emile, as well as his son, Hornsby Anthony, and his two children. Also surviving are his brothers-in-law, Nestor, Isadore (Deloris), and Ernest (Pat) and sisters-in-law, Olga (Leonard), Rose, and Victoria (Roy) and many nephews and nieces. A Celebration of William's Life was held on March 17, 2018 at the Brockie-Donovan Chapel, with the Very Reverend Don Bernhardt officiating. Memorial donations in memory of William may be made to the charity of one's choice. Messages of condolence may be placed at www.brockiedonovan.com. Excerpt from 'Ties' by W. Theo. De Haney (1955): Ties are a part of modern society: some natural, some legal, others illegal according to our way of thinking. Matrimonial ties are legal, parental ties are natural, and no less natural are the ties of friendship. For, we are all agreed that man is a social being.