BEVERLY GAIL WILLIAMS

BEVERLY GAIL WILLIAMS Beverly Gail Williams, known by those who loved her as, Bev, Mom, Gram B, or B, passed away peacefully in the early morning of October 31, 2022, at the age of 76 in Burlington Ontario with her husband, Peter, by her side. She was a loving wife, devoted mother, supportive mother-in-law, cherished "fancy" grandmother, snake hater, impromptu party thrower, as well as a lifelong educator. Bev was born in Fort William, Ontario (now Thunder Bay) on July 13, 1946, to Melville Bryan, a highly decorated pilot and RCAF officer (predeceased) and Kiki Bryan who was a part-time radio announcer for the CBC at one of Canadian Forces bases where they lived. She was the eldest of three children and was raised with her two younger brothers, Douglas, and Donald (both pre-deceased). As a "service brat", Bev lived on multiple Canadian Forces bases in locations that included Edmonton, Toronto, Churchill, and Ottawa. However, it was her time in Churchill, Manitoba as a young teenager on the base, that she would recollect as one of the most joyful times of her early life, in the polar bear capital of the world. Bev graduated from Ottawa Teachers' College in 1966 and started teaching at the age of 19. She spent the next 38 years in education dedicated to helping her students reach their full potential. Bev would go on to become a vice principal, principal, and eventually a school superintendent. During her career in education, she earned a Bachelor of Arts from York University in 1977 and a Master of Education from the University of Toronto in 1983. Bev was an avid genealogist and spent the last 16 years of her life documenting her family's roots back more than 2000 years. Bev would often reflect on the small, seemingly unimportant, decisions made by our ancestors, that set in motion a chain of events leading them to a person and place where a new branch in the family tree would start to grow. While in Ottawa in 1962, at the age of 16, Bev would first meet Peter while they were both taking lifesaving courses to become lifeguards. They fell in love and for the next 60 years built a family, side-by-side, watching their children grow and start families of their own. For Bev, the decision to take that course and meet Peter started a new branch in the family tree. Beverly will now forever be missed by her mother, Kiki; husband, Peter; her children, Jason (Angela), Eric (Karen), and Kevin (Christah); and her beloved grandchildren, Connor (Katie), Gavin, Mia, Abigail, Dean, Blake, Audrey, and Clark - each with whom she shared a unique and special bond they will cherish and carry with them for the rest of their lives. Our family is heartbroken over our loss, but we are comforted that we had the chance to say a proper goodbye. Bev's legacy of a life well lived was built upon the foundation of love that will live on, in our family, for generations to come. "The highest tribute to the dead is not grief but gratitude" and we will forever be grateful for the life that was well lived by Beverly Gail Williams. May She Rest in Peace. A visitation will take place at Smith's Funeral Home, 1167 Guelph Line, Burlington, on Friday, November 25, 2022, 6 p.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday, November 26th, 9 a.m.-10 a.m., followed by a Service of Remembrance at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Cancer Research or Carpenter Hospice located in Burlington in Bev's name.