William "Bill" Douglas Lien

It is with sadness we announce that Bill passed away peacefully at Trillium Hospice in Parksville on January 4, 2021 after a 3 year journey living with cardiac amyloidosis.

Bill is survived by his wife, Wendy; daughter, Michelle; sister, Carol (Ray) Jones; brothers, Garry (Diane), Don (Lois), and Randy; many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews; cousins, (especially Denny and Janet who were always like a brother and sister to him), close friends Delmer and Karen Paton, Paul Nelson, and a ton of friends and neighbours.

Bill was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan but spent his early childhood in Lake Valley where everybody knew everybody and we never got tired of hearing about all the escapades. In 1973 he moved to Vancouver and started working with the City of Vancouver, Sewers Branch where he met many life-long friends.  He met his wife Wendy in 1982 and they were together from almost that day on. After several years of apartment living in Vancouver, in 1989 they moved up Burke Mountain in Coquitlam where he loved riding the mower and entertaining friends and neighbours. Parties with Ken and Shirley (and family), Arlen and Sylvia, and Jolly Sawyer were legendary. Their daughter Michelle was born in 1995, and became the love of his life, and he enjoyed taking her to ringette games and karate lessons and teaching her everything he could about hockey, football, (a true Riders and Seahawks fan) and baseball. 

After working 32 years with the City, Bill retired and they moved to Pitt Meadows where he became friends with almost everyone on Joyner Street.  Drinking beer in the driveway with the neighbours (particulary Ian) was a common sight. He always loved watching football at the Coachman with Dennis and they would brag about their successes in the football pool.

In 2014 Bill and Wendy moved to Parksville, to enjoy a slower pace in their retirement years.  He enjoyed sitting out front and talking to everyone who walked by. Bill always had an easy way of making friends; his open and honest conversations and his welcoming demeanor over beer and wine, made him so easy to be around. He loved having his friends and family trek to the island to visit and he cherished those visits, especially after his diagnosis 3 years ago which made it difficult for him to travel.

We’d like to thank Dr. Hunter for all her care and support, the entire Home Care Nursing staff and Palliative staff for their visits and keeping in continuous contact with us, and to Dr. Simenhoff who was always there to answer questions and help us when we needed him.

“Holy Dinah!  Give your head a shake!  Lord hates a coward!  You mess with the bull, you get the horns!” Are some of the Bill-isms we will miss hearing. 

He was loved by all and will be greatly missed.