DR. W.H. HARRIS

(Bill) December 16, 1932 - May 19, 2025 Bill passed away peacefully at his farm, in his 93rd year on May 19th, surrounded by his family. He is lovingly remembered by his wife of 56 years, Penny; their sons, Charlie and Jeff; and daughter-in-law, Carly. Born in Toronto, Bill attended Forest Hill Collegiate and Upper Canada College before earning his medical degree from the University of Toronto in 1958. He completed postgraduate training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, choosing a field that brought joy and new life into the world. He served on staff at the Grace Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre until his retirement in 1999. Bill was concerned about global health, volunteering his medical expertise with CARE in Tunisia and Malaysia, as well as Tenwek Hospital in Kenya, and Sioux Lookout in northern Ontario. Upon retirement, Bill and Penny moved to the family farm in Canton, near Port Hope. He continued to contribute to medicine by assisting in surgery at the Northumberland Hills Hospital. Bill and Penny enjoyed a lifetime of travel, from visiting relatives in New Zealand, dogsledding in Baffin Island, camping in the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, to celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary sailing around Iceland with their family. The farm became a cherished retreat where Bill tended to his vegetable garden and loved to share the bounty - cucumbers, squash, gladiolas - with friends. He embraced sustainable living, being an early adopter of solar panels and geothermal heating. Bill took pride in his property on the Ganaraska River, opening up a section to the public as part of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail. He remained active and engaged throughout his life, playing tennis at the Badminton & Racquet Club, bicycling country roads, canoeing in the "Float Your Fanny Down The Ganny" race well into his 80s, and swimming at the Jack Burger Sports Complex in Port Hope until a few months ago. A proud descendant of one of the original Loyalist settlers of Port Hope, Bill cherished his roots and the land that connected generations of his family. A Celebration of his Life will be held at Parish Hall of St. Mark's Anglican Church (51 King Street, Port Hope), on Saturday, May 31, from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bill's memory may be made to Ed's House (1301 Ontario Street, Cobourg), the Northumberland Hills Hospital, or a cause close to your heart.