Bill is a self-described 'earthy, grounded, nature boy'. He was born in Picton in 1944 and spent his early years, and went to school, in Blenheim. After spending most of his working life in Canterbury, Bill returned to the Marlborough region in 2006 to care for his elderly parents and has lived there ever since. He is living an active retirement in his home town, where he is one of the founding members of Climate Karanga Marlborough. He is also the organiser of both the Marlborough Thermette Society and the annual Blue Duck midwinter nude swim at Lake Rotoiti in St Arnaud, Nelson Lakes.
Bill is a kind and gentle man who has taught me much about compassion, tolerance, whakarongo (listening) and . . . aging disgracefully.
Bill nominated Meditation from Thais composed by Jules Massenet as a song she would like played at his funeral or wake. He prefers full orchestral versions, like the
Radio Filarmonisch Orkest version conducted by Markus Stenz on YouTube below, but you can also
listen to the song in our 'Farewell songs' playlist.