Obituary of William "Hoss" Langille
The war is over and the battle won as my beloved Billie drifted away to his “Happy Hunting Ground” on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at Tabor Manor with Sammy and I at his side. In his 78th year, he was too young to leave us, but God teaches us how to love and what he loves, he only lends to us. He was predeceased by his mother, Olga Campbell, father Frank Langille and grandson Rowan Langille. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife Patricia “Patsy” (Halton) Langille, children Lajla (LaPorta), Kim (Foley) & husband Jim, Christopher (Palumbi) & wife Heather, Shawn & wife Ann. He will be sadly missed by his grandchildren Robert, Nicholas, Victoria, David, Jocelyn, Nathan, Logan, Kadin, Aelish, Nico, Luca & Arabella as well as great-grandaughter Amaya and devoted dog Sammy. Cousins, nieces and nephews, too numerous to mention, but loved still the same.
He was born in Amherst, Nova Scotia and after moving to St. Catharines at the age of 14 with his parents. If asked “How far did you go in school?” he’d reply “A 2 mile hike, and 3 stories up.” completing his Grade 10. He went on to get his certificate as a “body man”, working at GM as an Iron Pourer, which is the job he retired from after 30+ years of slugging in the trenches of extreme heat. He was a drill instructor with RCAF and was awarded 1st place for his expert shooting in representing Canada. He was also awarded a certificate in recognition for his services on behalf of the Government of Canada, and in between he worked as an OPP Auxiliary officer, a Game Warden, and a “Mr. Fix It” who loved puttering in his little shop out back. He was one of the oldest members of the Maple Leaf Gun Range and a member of many years of the Niagara Region Police Range. I’m sure he walked this earth hundreds of years ago. One of his greatest loves was for Mother Nature and he was also proud of his Mi’kmaq Indian heritage. He was most happy when standing fishing at a stream or hunting with his best buddy for over 50 years, but now gone (Wally Morris), but never just for sport. He was large in life with a heart that was larger still. He loved his family and friends and although he may not have been able to express it…you knew you were loved!
Many thanks to Dr. Elaine O’Reilly at Tabor Manor for her caring ways. Also, to the amazing staff at Tabor Manor to whom he tormented and teased, but who would patch him up after his many falls and who loved him for the man he was, my heartfelt thanks for your care and compassion and understanding as well as the honour guard when he exited Tabor for the last time. He will be missed by his many friends, too numerous to mention, but they all knew, when you were his friend there is nothing he wouldn’t have done for you.
A Celebration of his Life will be held at the George Darte Funeral Home, 585 Carlton St., on Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 1pm. A gathering will follow the ceremony from 2-4 at the funeral home. In keeping with Hoss’ wishes, cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations made to Autism Ontario or the McMaster Brain Child Foundation would be appreciated by the family.
EULOGIES FOR BILL
An Ode to Billie
From the very first moment anyone met Bill there was sure to be an impact made. Nothing illustrates this more perfectly than the time my mom and Bill first went to visit my in-laws, Marie and Ambrose in Sarnia. Upon arrival, they removed their shoes at the back door before retiring to the living room for drinks and conversation. Unbeknownst to them, my brother-in-law stopped by to check in on his mom and dad, and upon seeing Billie’s giant handmade moccasins, Pat thought to himself, I don’t know who owns these but what I do know is that I am definitely not going to mess with him.
Little did he know Billie was a gentle giant. A big man with an even bigger heart who had a way of making a lasting impression. His nickname of Hoss, based on his resemblance to the large lovable character from the TV show Bonanza, was surely an appropriate one.
When mom and Bill were married, and made a life commitment to each other, Bill effortlessly accepted my brother Chris and myself as his own children, adding to his first 3. He never referred to himself as a stepfather, but instead took the humble title of Dad #2. Special times and holidays in this blended family were sure to see everyone invited to the festivities in Hoss and Pat’s home. Even more importantly, if any of his children needed him and called to him for help, without question, he was there.
Billie was a provider in every sense of the word. His work ethic to “bring home the bacon” meant he and my Mom could have a simple but comfortable lifestyle. His hunting forays in the north with pal Wally (or should I say brother, as Hoss referred to him) meant that there was always venison or some other unknown species of protein in the freezer, which by the time it got to the table, was identified by my mother as “roast beef.” Although living in a ground-level home, he even offered to provide a ladder for my elopement, which I declined in lieu of a more expensive wedding.
If you were a family member, friend or co-worker, you were well aware he was a great prankster and you never knew when he would strike. If you lived with him, you could find a large rubber spider at the bottom of the toilet bowl, window caulking strips hidden under your bed sheets in the spring, blue grass music blaring loudly from his 8-track collection after you had entered the shower, or water being flung through the window screens while you were sun tanning out in the backyard. If you were on shift with him at GM, you might find your lunch box Crazy-glued shut, your car up on blocks during the lunch break, or a saran wrapped toilet seat. The Censor Board has discouraged me from passing on some of the more colourful examples of his good-natured mischievousness. He continued the prankster tradition once grandchildren came along. He would tease them all to no end and more often than not, colluded with them to pull a fast one on some unsuspecting victim, but everything was done in good fun.
For many years, Billie played the role of Santa Claus at the Credit Union where mom worked. He truly captured the essence and spirit of this larger-than-life character that we all imagined as young children. I am sure that many of us in this room have pictures of their children and grandchildren sitting on his lap, and maybe even a few of you as adults.
Bill had his own special language and dictionary of terms which surely originated from his boyhood days in Nova Scotia. Passing a bakery sign, he once asked “What is Quiche?” We laughed and told him it was pronounced Quiche. On one occasion, when out for a fancy steak dinner, he turned to the server and politely asked for Canadian Gravy. After a puzzled blank look from the waiter, we explained that ketchup was required. Whenever he wanted to heat up leftovers, he would use the Ontarian oven, better known to us as a microwave.
Bill relished his role as grandfather. He loved the opportunity to pass on skills he had learned such as fishing, hunting, auto and small appliance repair, tying knots, karate moves for protection, and playing the organ. Bill was playful and young at heart which is why I believe he was so loved by his grandchildren. Whether it was hosting whole families at the infamous cozy trailer on the beach, leading hunts for buried treasure, deadly squirt-gun fights outdoors and even indoors, bringing new material and verses into old bedtime stories, or just allowing a little one (and weren’t we all little in comparison to Hoss) to snuggle up to those larger-than-life arms in a great big bear hug that made one feel so secure.
My brother-in-law had it right; those really were big shoes. While they are not going to be filled by anyone else, they make for a pretty good trail to follow. I know with certainty that he has left his footprints on the hearts and in the lives of all who knew him.
TO MY DARLIN’ BILLIE
Oh my darling Billie, Billie, Billie…..you left behind a hell of a lot of stuff!!!!! Just so everyone knows ahead of time..the bidding will take place immediately following this service.
I stopped today and thought “where will Sammy and I go every day now that you are gone”?? However, we plan on making a return trip at some point to Tabor because if you remember, Sammy is the Mascot of the third floor, also the four legged boyfriend of Elfie, who lived across from you, and grandson to Alice on the first floor, and a friend forever to everyone else in the building as long as there were treats.
In gathering things together I had forgotten some of the amazingly wonderful things we never did get to do. Like the cruise on our 30th. Anniversary, the trip out East to see, Cousin Ena “just one more time”, the trip to the Bahamas you were going to send Kimmie and I on, the trip to California with sister Rosaleen to see my sister Aileen, a trip to Markdale to visit with Margaret and all the cousins¸to catch one more deer or shoot one more Groundhog or fish another stream. Now some of these I know I’ll miss, but none of it seems important anymore without you by my side.
It’s funny how other little things, annoying things, aggravating things come to mind more clearly now…..your snoring, your farting…..he was the only man I knew who couldn’t fart sitting down….he’d always lean to one side and you just knew what was coming. The tormenting was relentless and whether it was April Fool’s Day or not….if there was a way to get under my skin and pull on that last nerve…..he’d do it and enjoy every minute of it.
As his many illnesses progressed, he’d beg me on a cold wintery day to just dress him up, give him his trusty rifle and point him in the direction of the woods to find a comfy spot and sit and freeze to death…..my fear was that a few days later he’d reappear dragging a deer behind him..
He was the love of my life and I his. My friend, my husband, my lover, a wonderful father, grandfather and great grandfather I never had to question his love nor he mine…like peas in a pod, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, like sardines in mustard and NO I’M SORRY THEY STUNK, but I would faithfully make you sandwiches if I had to. What can I say other than I always knew where I stood with Billie as did everyone else. If you were a friend, you knew it….if you weren’t he’d remind you “I have guns”…..
We both enjoyed the simple things in life….picnics along a roadway, watching the boats go out at Port Dalhousie, sitting on the deck at our trailer home listening to the rain hitting the metal roof, lying quietly side by side watching an old movie. As his life regressed at Tabor we’d watch the “History” Channel, over and over and over again….I hated history and as a matter of fact, if you remember Silvio, you tutored me. Now I’d be a star pupil, but I still hate history!!!!!
Billie sometimes had a hard time expressing his love but somehow you just knew he loved you and if you weren’t walking away with a black eye, it was true love.
He had a standing order at Stephanie’s Pots ‘n Posies, and every occasion imaginable I’d receive a beautiful bouquet signed “All me love…Billie”. I’ll miss those.
Many of his “one liners” were unrepeatable but I remember on one of the many hospital visits that we made and the woman in the next stall just wouldn’t shut up and Billie said “If I had one flare left in my dory I’d shoot her with it and take me chances on the high seas”. Or one night he fell out of bed (if anyone here is from Tabor Manor you can see these episodes started way back) anyway I leaned over and said “are you all right?” and he replied “Yes, I was just trying to figure out if there’s anything else I can do while I’m down here!”
If he was here today for the reading of his will he’d be saying “And to my kids, I leave an equal amount of debt and to all my grandchildren, and great granddaughter, you are God’s reward to me for not having murdered your parents.
He never minced words. He had a larger than life persona and unbelievable patience when repairing something in his little work shop, but his trademark stubbornness will not be easily forgotten.
Death always seemed imminent with Billie, but like the cat with 199 lives he always ignored it. Finally, last Wednesday, as I bent over for one more kiss and to tell him I was taking Sammy for a walk, God said “I‘m not fooling¸ I’m serious, your coming...NOW!!!! With one final sigh, his spirit released from his worn out shell of a body and he was set free to reunite with all his family, especially grandson Rowan and of course his best buddy Wally.
The world is a sadder place my sweet Billie without you in it, and although my heart is heavy and broken I’m happy that you’re where you’ve yearned to be for years, but Sammy and I love you and we’ll always miss you terribly.
SON SHAWN’S SPEECH FOR BILLIE LANGILLE
Dad…where do you begin with so many things to say? Growing up wasn’t easy….it seemed there was always a hill to climb and barriers to move. But somehow we found a way to conquer that.
From playing pranks or playing hot wheels to water fights, flying kites and building bikes we always had fun.
You were still able to teach me work ethics, responsibilities and to stand my ground, how to pick and choose my battles and yes, I’m still working on that one. Also we were able to show compassion and respect and that family is key and we are strong together!
Love your son