William "Bill" Shepherd

“Anything is possible.” That is what William "Bill" Shepherd believed about life. He was a creative man, a perpetual inventor, who seemed to be able to find a solution for any difficulty confronting him. He had faith in his ability to find those solutions. William "Bill" thoroughly enjoyed understanding how things worked. He possessed an inquisitive, confident, and rational nature matched with a versatile and agile mind. William "Bill" was a person who believed that he could achieve whatever he set out to do.

       His parents were Beatrice Dorthy Francis (Wieber) Shepherd and William Edwin Shepherd. William "Bill" was raised in Sault Ste Marie. He showed his ingenuity even as a child. When he was confronted with a problem, William "Bill" could develop an imaginative solution, and he derived satisfaction from knowing he had that ability.

      This same talent for finding solutions had a positive bearing on William "Bill"'s family relationships. William "Bill" was raised with Two Siblings. He had one younger brother, Charlie, and one younger sister, Mary Ellen. When a difficult situation or dilemma arose within the family, William "Bill" was always there to help figure out a solution for making things work.

      As a young boy, William "Bill" could be found building and inventing new and different things. He was curious, resourceful and interested in anything original.

      Endowed with an appetite for knowing how his world worked, William "Bill" enjoyed school, especially when the learning experience involved dissecting and probing the unknown. William "Bill" was adept at scrutinizing different possibilities and designing innovative solutions. He graduated from All-Ontario High School in 1952. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. He was a part of the Wildcats, the basketball team that won the Championship competition.

      Because he was a quick thinker and adept at picking up on new things, William "Bill" performed well in college. He was always on a quest for knowledge and he relished the experience. Theories intrigued him, and he was good at solving complex problems. He always wanted to understand rather than judge. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (1958). He also pursued graduate school, earning his Masters of Science in Civil Engineering(1960) and Masters of Business Admiminstration (1976).

      William "Bill" was socially resourceful, an expressive person who was willing to try new things. These qualities drew a lively circle of friends around him. Always interested in his friends’ activities and interests, William "Bill" was uncritical of his acquaintances. He was sought after by people who recognized that he was generous with his time and energy, and these same friends found William "Bill" to be very stimulating company. William "Bill"'s humor and curiosity were contagious for those around him. Later in life, he developed special friendships with various groups of people.

       William "Bill" was seldom a critical person, but rather the one who was able to bring out the best in others. William "Bill" was an entertaining conversationalist who was quick to respond to his spouse’s needs. He was a vibrant personality and he enjoyed verbally sparring with Sandra..

      William "Bill"'s remarkable talent for being inventive influenced his relationship with his children. William "Bill" was blessed with Two children, two daughters, Suzanne Rae and Tracey Anne Shepherd. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Amanda, Ashley, Alexandra, Danielle, and Kaylie. Someone who was quick to laugh, William "Bill" found it easy to spend lots of time with his children.

      As a born inventor, William "Bill" was definitely in his element in his work place. He could easily create new and innovative systems, and incorporate those changes to bring a fresh approach to any work situation. William "Bill" was a focused worker with a strong drive for achievement. He could assess all of the options before him and, using his analytical skills, could comfortably find answers that no one else had even considered. His personal initiative inspired those around him. William "Bill" was always good at getting a project started and then, at the appropriate time, handing it on to a colleague. His primary occupation was being a business owner. He was employed for numerous years in the Steel Industry at Algoma Steel in Ontario where he was the inventor of the "Basic Oxygen Furnaces". He then moved to Great Lake Steel in Michigan, and advanced to Allenwood Steel in Philadelphia. He then moved to US Steel in Pittsburgh. He became a business owner in Philadelphia and started Jefferson Printing Press. He refurbished old apartments in Philadelphia, then opened and operated Grove Self Storage and Pack And Post. Around 1994 he opened Elderflower Adult Daycare Center. In 2002 he opened Bruce Street Storage in Sault Ste Marie. William "Bill" always made an effort to be a team player, doing what needed was necessary in order to get the job done.

      William "Bill"'s passion for finding a better way to do things was often an end in itself for him. In fact, that interest by itself became something of a hobby for this perpetual problem solver. Since William "Bill" was always searching for new and unusual activities, he developed many interests and leisure pursuits. Some of the things he became an “expert” in might come as a surprise to those who knew him, but most friends and family understood that William "Bill" simply couldn’t be limited to just a few activities or ideas. His favorite pursuits were sailing, boating, skiing, reading, solving crossword puzzles and sudukos, traveling, socializing with friends, and eating out at restaurants.

      William "Bill"'s calm demeanor and eternally positive outlook served him well in sports. In high school, William "Bill" played basketball. In his college years, William "Bill" continued to stay active by playing basketball. Recreational sports included sailing, skiing, walking Max, and exercising. William "Bill" was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed following his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were ice hockey, basketball and football.

      William "Bill"'s talents were well suited for being actively involved in professional and community organizations, something he did throughout his life. He enjoyed being involved and was willing to jump in and help out in most any situation. William "Bill" could bring a breath of fresh air to any organization, simply by introducing his novel ideas and problem solving strategies. Throughout his later years, William "Bill" was an active member of the Business Association of Chestnut Hill, Business Association of Sault Ste Marie, and an active member of the Chamber of Commerce where he obtained Vice President, and then Presidency.

      With all of his talents, his ingenuity, his solutions and inventiveness, it is no surprise that William "Bill" received public recognition for his competence. With the drive and ability to meet any challenge, William "Bill" accumulated a long list of achievements throughout his life. Received numerous awards, and in 2005 "Volunteer Appreciation Award" from Sault Ste Marie's Economic Development Corporation.

      Having the opportunity to visit and explore a new place always intrigued William "Bill". Traveling and going away on vacations offered yet another opportunity for William "Bill" to expand his ever-growing inventory of knowledge. Bill's travels included various states including Colorado, and New Jersey beaches (Sea Isle), England, Russia, China, Paris, and Australia.

      William "Bill" was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. His pets included: Red (Irish Setter), Jake (Golden Retriever), and Max (Terrier).

      Bill never wanted to retire and was always searching for new opportunities. William "Bill" continued to stay in touch with his old friends and while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled.

      William "Bill" passed away peacefully on January 8, 2013 in Sault Area Hospital in Sault Ste Marie. He died of Pneumonia, Heart and Respiratory failure. He is survived by his wife, Sandra, his children Suzanne Childs (Dave) and Tracey Pillart (Joe), and grandchildren Amanda, Ashley, Alexandra, Danielle, and Kaylie. Services were held at Aurthur Funeral Home in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, Canada. William "Bill" was laid to rest at Shepherds Tavern (Mayfair, England), Stonehenge (England), Bath (England), Saint Joe's Island (Canada), and a part of him will always remain with Suzie and Tracey.

      During his lifetime, nothing appeared impossible to William "Bill". He met the words “it can’t be done” with the enthusiastic challenge of a “wanna bet” attitude. William "Bill" was able to recognize the possibilities a new idea held, even when those around him could not. For William "Bill", the traditional way of doing things fell short of his expectations, especially if there were original and untested methods for handling a challenge. For William "Bill" Shepherd, the fun of living his life could be found in the challenge.

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SHEPHERD, William Edwin “Bill” – Peacefully passed at the Sault Area Hospital on Tuesday, January 8, 2013 at the age of 79. Beloved husband of Sandra. Dear father of Suzanne Childs (David) and Tracey Pillart (Joe). Grandfather of Amanda, Ashley, Alexandra, Danielle and Kaylie. Loving brother of Charles Shepherd (Ailie) and Mary Ellen Brouillard (Bernard). Uncle of several nieces and nephews. Friend and companion “Max”. Bill devoted many years in the steel industry. He established Grove Storage and Elder Flower Adult Daycare in Philadelphia and Bruce Street Storage in Sault Ste. Marie, Canada. He was active in the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce and CIBPA. Friends may call at the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre on Sunday, January 13, 2013 from 11 am until time of funeral service at 2 pm. Mrs. Helen Smith officiating. Memorial contributions to the Humane Society may be accepted by the Arthur Funeral Home and would be appreciated by the family. Expressions of sympathy may be offered at www.arthurfuneralhome.com.