William Everett CODE

CODE, William Everett
November 20, 1932 – May 3, 2016
Two years after a debilitating stroke suffered on March 31, 2014, Bill Code died painlessly at the Bethany Care Centre in Calgary. He was 83. He leaves his wife of 57 years, Peggy (nee Buck) and his children, Brett (Laurie Goldbach), Kelly, Geoffrey (Elaine Falconer-Code) and Bryce (Kim) and his seven grandchildren Jillian, Nyall, Christopher, Elan, Everett, Mitchell, and Libby. He is also survived by his close friend and brother, Fred Code (Terry) and his family.
Born in Gadsby, Alberta, Bill moved to Calgary when he was 6, attended SunAlta and Central and, upon the guidance of his parents, William G. and Lesley Code, and his godfather and eventual principal, William A. McGillivray, he attended the University of Alberta, where he earned an Arts degree in 1953 and a law degree in 1956. He joined the Fenerty firm, became a member of the Law Society of Alberta in 1957, and began a long and illustrious legal career. In 1971, he formed Code Hunter with Alan D. Hunter, and built it into a thriving and successful firm that has produced many of Alberta's leading lawyers and judges. Bill was honoured by his appointment as Queen's Counsel in 1975.
Bill and Peggy were married in 1958 and began a fabulous life together, raising four children while filling their lives with art, travel, theatre, golf, horse-racing, bridge, skiing, and the kind of partying that really does not happen much anymore. Bill loved music, played the piano, listened to jazz, and wished he could sing.
Bill was an amazing grandfather, particularly after his retirement from law: our kids loved him. He doted on them, from the time he could throw them up and catch them until they could run circles around him, both physically and intellectually. He taught them all he could, encouraged them in reading and education, attended their events and sports activities, and became their best cheerleader.
Along the way, among many other things: he was elected a Bencher of the Law Society of Alberta in 1974 and was its President in 1981 - 1982; he was the court-appointed inspector into the business and affairs of the Principal Group of Companies from 1987 to 1989, an enormous legal proceeding that came to be known as the Code Inquiry; he was appointed as a NAFTA panelist in 1993 and was a member of the panel in the highly publicized Soft Wood Lumber Appeal, held in Washington, D.C. Over almost 6 decades as a member of the Law Society, Bill argued numerous seminal cases dealing with civil, commercial and constitutional issues, including ifR. v. Stinchcombe nf, a momentous decision of the Supreme Court of Canada that caused the Crown to consider the fruits of its investigations as information used not just to secure convictions but to secure a just result, in the public interest of all Canadians.
Bill will also be remembered as one of the staunchest supporters of the Federal Liberal Party. He was a Young Liberal at U of A, and was a huge supporter of Lester Pearson, believing throughout his life that Pearson's vision for Canada was the right one. Not one to criticize without taking responsibility, he set out twice, knowing the odds against him but needing to make a statement and do what he knew to be right, to run as a Liberal candidate, first in 1984 in Calgary West, and in the 1989 Senate Election.
A memorial service will be held at McInnis and Holloway, 5008 Elbow Drive S.W. on Monday, May 9 at 12:30 p.m. Reception to follow at the Calgary Golf and Country Club: 1 block west of the intersection of Elbow Drive and 50 Avenue SW.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta. Please remember Bill by reading a book, preferably a good mystery novel.