John Robert "Bob" Wills

Sad to have found this so late. I remember Mr Wills (he will always be Mr Wills to his players) for the way he treated everyone with respect and was therefore highly respected. An absolute role model and obviously positively impacted more young people than just me. And he was cool because he had a mustang!

Reading through all of these tributes to Mr. Wills, I find myself smiling and nodding at his former students' memories.

Mr. Wills taught me Grade 12 chemistry (1973) and I enjoyed it!!

His enthusiasm for life and learning made his classes a joy and we left LHS the better for having been taught by him.

I've thought of him over the years, at the times when one looks back periodically and notes those whose influence on you has helped shape you in positive ways.

You are missed, Mr. Wills, but live in our hearts.

We miss you Bob. We can reflect upon all of the fun times that the four of us had together on Thorne Lake Road and Queen Street. The birthday celebrations that the four of us shared together over the past ten years were so much fun. Memories of Lorraine's excited voice trailing up the road and surrounding area as we the girls finally won a euchre card game against the guys. Fond thoughts of us four partaking in many of the local social events. We danced, ate and socialized our hearts out. We were introduced to some of the finest relatives and friends of Bob & Lorraine's over the years. How fortunate for us to have met one another and to have shared so many good times together. Bob, we'll stay in touch with your, our, precious Lorraine. Bob, your wish was to die with respect and dignity and your wish was granted as you passed away at home with Lorraine at your side.



Goodbye our special friend.



Pauline & Joe Maxwell (1 Queen St.)

at Thorne Lake Road.

It is with sadness that I learned of Mr. Wills' death. I remember him as a soft-spoken man whose gentleness was matched with leadership and strength of character. He was a role model and inspiration for generations of students. My sympathies go out to Mr. Wills' family.

Mr.Wills had a postive affect on my like from day 1 at LHS. I was fortunate enough to have him as both a teacher and a coach.



He taught all his students whether it was in the classroom or on the football field the importance of working hard and never giving up and for this I am truly grateful.



I will miss the man but never forget him.



LHS(82-87)

I was on duty at my fire station yesterday, when I found out about Bob's passing from my District Chief Shawn Sullivan, who is a Laurentian grad as well. (The Ottawa Fire Service has an amazing number of former Lions and Laurentian grads). I felt a profound sense of loss and sadness knowing that a "Corner Stone" of Laurentian Lions sports history and academic excellence had left us. Bob coached me in football and he was an incredible influence on all of us. He was always positive, and he was always trying to find ways to show us how we could better ourselves.



I consider myself privileged to have been guided through my high school years by such a fine, dedicated, caring, respectful group of educators such as; Bob Wills, Ron Graham, Steve Glavin, Mike Bachman, Miss Briggs, Margaret Terrett, Kent Smith, Ron Rollo, Faith Bellamy, Peter Church, Lou Unhola and even grouchy old Lloyd Wright. A lot of the credit for the person I have become goes to all of these people. I credit Bob with my desire to attempt the difficult, the desire to improve, and to tackle a challenge head on, but to do it with honour, integrity and most importantly humour. We all remember Bob's infectious laugh.



A great man once said that he would consider his life a success if he could make a difference in just one person’s life. Having read some of the comments other people have left in this guest book, it is clear to see that Bob made a difference in many peoples lives and this guest book is just the tip of the iceberg. It is not an exaggeration to say he influenced thousands, if not all of the people who were fortunate enough to have their paths intersect with this exceptional educator and friend.



I hope his family will draw some joy and comfort in the knowledge that Bob will live on in the thoughts and hearts of all the players, students, co-workers, and friends he left behind.



God speed Bob, the battle is over, the game is won.



Captain Don Smith

Laurentian grad 1969-1974

I would like to extend my condolences to Mr. Will's family. I was saddened to hear of his death. However, it also provided an opportunity to remember someone who made a positive impact in many lives and in many different ways. I am very grateful that he was one of my teachers.

Mr. Wills was an extraordinary teacher and person, who inspired us with his enthusiasm, humour, intensity, and dedication. I remember marvelling at how students never spoke out in his class, because he created such an atmosphere of mutual respect. We sat, minds open, and let him teach us much more than a love and knowledge of chemistry. He led by example, and his immense personal integrity, kindness, generosity of spirit, and commitment are as clear in my memory today as they were on my impressionable teenage mind. We were all so very fortunate to have such a mentor, and I hope he knows what a positive influence he was on so many. My thoughts are with his family.

THANKS!!!!

I AM WHAT I HAVE BECOME TODAY BECAUSE OF THE DIRECTION YOU, RON GRAHAM, KENT SMITH, ROSS DONALDSON GAVE A YOUNG OUT OF CONTROL BOY AND EVENTUALLY TURNED HIM INTO A MAN. I AM NOW AND WILL ALWAYS BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE PASSED ALONG TO ME. I AM A TEACHER OF YOUNG OUT OF CONTROL MINDS. A COACH OF BOYS AND MEN. I HOPE I CAN LIVE UP TO THE DIRECTION YOU ONCE GAVE THIS OUT OF CONTROL YOUNG BOY.

Mr. Wills wasn't just my teacher and coach, he gave much-needed direction to a confused youngster. In doing so, he gave me his time, energy, dedication and humour. And for these gifts, I will always be grateful.

Mr.Wills was a great man and will be sadly missed. I hope that I can have half the impact on people’s lives as he had. He was a man of integrity and passion and memories of him live on. Thank you for having such a profound influence on people’s lives.

I was so sad to hear the news of Mr. Wills' passing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Mr. Wills was a teacher many of us have not forgotten. I think of Mr. Wills and remember his smile and the energy he shared with us all,he was a truly wonderful spirit.

Mr. Wills was an amazing teacher. He helped me make it through chemistry and actually found it interesting. Thank you so much for being such a great teacher. I send my deepest sympathy to your family.

Mr. Wills is the kind of person who became one of life's unforgettable characters. He was a teacher to us all. For those of us who were fortunate to be one of his students, we remember him as the teacher we respected because he respected us first. To the other lives he touched along the way, Mr. Wills was a man of integrity and honour. We are blessed for the time he gave us.

Lorraine, My deepest sympathies to you and your family in the passing of Bob. I read some of the other messages of condolence that have been posted and cannot find any other sentiments to express that have not already been shared with you. My memories of Bob at Laurentian were and are inspirational. What a classy guy! A great teacher, super coach and, at times, good for a great laugh. I'm sure that the gathering following the funeral brought out alot of great stories, never-before-shared moments and lots of laughs. I was privileged to have known him, worked with him and learned from him.

Sincerely,

Sue Burns,

Campbell River, B.C.

[email protected]

It is with a heavy heart that I write this note. Mr Wills was a teacher nobody could forget. He brought so much more to his students than he ever knew. Whether it was in the classroom, on the field or an after school chat, he guided us and we followed. He was not just a good teacher, he was a GREAT teacher. His passing will surely ripple its way through the hearts of all the Laurentian graduates.

Mr Wills - You are unique, remarkable and unrepeatable.

God's speed,

I was saddened to hear of the loss of Mr. Wills. He was an excellent teacher and coach. He taught me the true meaning of respect and discipline.

Rest assured when looking down upon us that you had inspired many of us to be who we are today. We seldom remember the many, though we can still remember the few like you. God Bless.

Mr. Wills was my Grade 13 Chemistry teacher in 1975-76. I had many fine teachers at Laurentian and he was one of my favourites. Whether it was a conscious choice or simply his nature, he treated us with respect, and we respected him in turn. I never heard a bad word said about him. He brought a degree of levity to his classes – a subject, no doubt, that many would otherwise have considered a mild form of torture. He would gladly answer “out of scope” questions, and I especially remember how he made a point of impressing upon us how much more difficult university would be than high school. He would say things like “that’s a good high school answer, now try a bit harder”, and toward the end of the year he gave us a bogus (as we found out) test that better approximated university-level fare; he knew what he was talking about. What a wonderful, gifted teacher, and how sorry I am to hear he has been taken at such a young age.

I attended Laurentian High School from 1972-1977 and had Mr. Wills as a teacher for chemistry. I too had a crush on him, as did many of the high school girls since he was such a handsome young teacher with a bright, noble spirit. He taught with such enthusiasm, you could not help but love science. I went on to become a science teacher myself and thought of him often and appreciated his influence on my life. He will be missed by many of us who had the privilege of having him as a teacher in our lives. To his friends and family, I am so sorry for your loss.

Coach Wills was the best coach I ever had. He coach and reinforced the fundamentals of football and more importantly of life. To be a man of character, honesty, responsibility and to be kind to people. I feel I was very fortunate to have coach Wills coach me for 3 yrs. Every student that coach knew was touched by the life traits that he taught by example. I am a better person because I knew Bob Wills.

I was a student at Laurentian High School between 1994-1999. Mr. Wills taught me general science and chemistry. Mr. Wills' passion for teaching was evident throughout all of his lectures. More importantly, though, Mr. Wills emphasized daily the importance of respecting one another.

Having had the privalege of being coached and taught by Mr. Wills, it is easy to see how his inspiration was so far reaching to so many students and friends.



His energy, commitment and passion was contagious. He taught you to be accountable in your actions, to push yourself to higher limits, and he demanded you be respectful to your school, your team and your fellow athletes.



The many who have been touched by him are very fortunate as his impact and life lessons will never be forgotten.

It is simply amazing how one teacher can make such an impression.



Mr. Wills was a wonderful role model. One of the very few teachers that earned respect from every student in the school.



He was a leader, a motivator, a perfectionist, and above all a caring individual.



He is one of the few teachers that has had a true impact on my life. Although it has been many years since leaving high school, I have fond memories that will be etched in my memories forever. He has been, and will be, thought of often.

My deepest sympathy goes out to the wills family. Mr wills was my science teacher and football coach in the early 90's. He was one of the best teachers i had and respected him alot as a teacher also as a friend he will deeply be missed

I have had the honour and priviledge to have been taught and coached by Mr.Wills.He is a man that I have only known for five years,but yet it seems like a lifetime.I have a heavy heart,and I will miss him deeply.

Very sad to hear of Mr. Wills' passing. An excellent football coach who inspired us all to do our very best. He had such a great influence over all the players he coached and we were better for knowing him. He will be missed.

Intensity.

Pursuit.

Coach/Teacher,

You have taught me the value of intensity, passion and believing in my abilities. How to pursue objectives and dreams, and to never give up on them. To strive for excellence...to continue to grow.



Life Lessons.



You helped to take me to a level that I could not have achieved otherwise. I only wish that I could have told this to you face to face… still I have faith that you will feel my words.

Thank you.

D.Manning LHS 1987-1992

To The Wills Family,



I am so sorry for your loss. Like so many other former "Lions" Mr. Wills' guidance and leadership had a huge impact in my life both on and off the field. He was a great man who will be missed by many. Team Pursuit!

I was a student at Laurentian High School as well from 1975 to 1980, and had Mr. Wills for Chemistry twice in my 5 years of High School. My 2 sisters also had Mr. Wills as a teacher, and we are all deeply saddened by his passing.



He was an outstanding educator, a great motivator, and someone who could easily communicate with the student community, either in the classroom, on the football field, or via the many Student-Teacher Activities & Competitions at school.



He made school enjoyable for many students. His abilities to work with students were second-to-none.



Thank You, Bob Wills, for the experience of knowing you.

It is hard to say goodbye, Bob. Thanks for the gift of many good times together. Lots of good memories of hours spent laughing, telling outlandish stories and sharing a cool drink. Thanks for advice freely given and for taking the extra time with Lorraine to compose poems to mark special occasions. Thanks for your love of everyday life at the lake, enjoying the deer, birds and wildlife and fighting the beaver. We will always remember your search for the ideal rock. Thanks for the celebrating life with us.

With love,

Cora and Steve

Mrs. Wills,

It is with great sadness that I read about the passing of your husband. Not only was Mr. Wills an outstanding football coach but he was an exceptional teacher and human being. He will be greatly missed by all those who had the pleasure to know him.

Dear Mrs. Wills and family,

As a former student of Laurentian High School 1982-1987 Mr. Wills was a superior football coach and teacher. His positive 'go get em' attitude made us all better individuals. Please accept my deepest sympathies.

I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Wills. He was my very favourite teacher. I had him for Science in Grade 9 and 10 and Chemistry in Grade 12. I still remember some of the things that he taught me. I wish my kids had Science teachers this skilled. You will be dearly missed by all of the Laurentian alumni. Thanks Mr. Wills! Lynn Conger (nee Buckingham)



I had Mr. Wills for Science as well as one season of football. I was astounded at his steely resolve in sport as well as in the classroom. As have many have said, he was a remarkable role model for all who were priviledged enough to meet him. How strange that Lynn and I were just talking about him last night and heard the news today. Bruce Conger

I met Mr. Wills his first year at Laurentian High. During my time at Laurentian Mr. Wills demonstrated many of his endearing qualities as he endeavored to teach me chemistry in grade 10, again in grade 13 and how to play football. It is with great sorrow that I say ‘Goodbye’ to Mr. Wills. My deepest condolences to his family.

My condolences to Mr. Wills's loved ones. He was my teacher for Grade 9 Science in 1975/76 and I remember him with great affection as a patient, calm, interesting, dedicated teacher who encouraged us all to learn and inquire. (I was particularly grateful for his patience and kindness during a distressing mercury-thermometer-dropping incident...)



Although I had not seen him since I left Laurentian in the late 70s, I always remembered him.



Requiescat in pace.

To the Wills Family,

I would like to take this opportunity to offer my deepest condolences for your loss.

Mr. Wills has never taught me formally but I had the opportunity to learn from him through his daily actions as a coach and educator. His influence was deep and profound. To me, he was a very ethical and honourable man. I will remember him fondly.

I was truly sorry to here of his passing, he will be missed.

Dear Lorraine,



I'm Pauline Maxwell's sister and I only had an opportunity to meet you and Bob once in the Fall of 2004 in Quebec. I was drawn to the warmth of you and Bob together. Pauline had talked of you and Bob as dear friends many times. I'm glad you and Bob traveled a lot and enjoyed life to the fullest. Take care and God bless!



Helene Klimo

Went to Laurentian from 1975 to 1979. One of my favourite teachers, ant the best football coach I ever had. When I graduated, Mr. Wills asked me to coach the Lions with him. I have been coaching football ever since and owe my love of coaching to him. He will be greatly missed.

Bob Wills played an inspirational role in the lives of many young men throughout his years as a football coach at Laurentian High School.



I was one of the many players who benefitted from the power of his personality.



He had a simple, straightforward and honest way of getting you to push yourself to do your best.



While I have not seen him in person for many years, I recall him surrounded by football players dressed in his red windbreaker cheering us on.



A fine man who always had my respect.

I was saddened by the loss of Mr. Wills. He was an excellent teacher and football coach. On the field he taught us sportsmanship and off the field he taught us life skills. He treated everyone equal with respect and dignity. He will be missed.

I remember Mr Wills as an intense and favourable influence in high school. Strangely enough, I recently thought of an incident in which he took control of a dispute between 2 students. It was this strength in his character that I will always remember as a person. Thank you for the influence and teaching you shared with me in life "Bob". Individuals that hang in there for 35 years of teaching are a bygone memory. Your football coaching skills in which you barked orders were a joy to experience!

Thank you Mr. Wills for being such an exciting and inspirational teacher. Your enthusiasm and love of teaching encouraged me to follow in your footsteps. You will be missed.

Dear Mrs Wills and family, My deepest sympathies and condolences on your great loss. In life many people come and go but there are probably only a handful of people that have a truly profound influence in shaping who we are. I consider myself extremely fortunate that coach Wills was one of these people in my life. He will be greatly missed.



Sincerely



Bob Pagnutti

Laurentian High School 1968-72

Dear Mrs. Wills

Mr. Wills was my chemisty teacher at Laurentian. He was a wonderful teacher that had a way about him. I hated chemistry but he taught me not to fear it. His spirit will live on. My deepest sympathies

Dear Lorraine.



It is with great sadness that I learned of Bob’s passing. He was a wonderful friend, and a joy to be with. You have our very sincere condolences.

I have many fond memories of Mr. Wills both at Laurentian High and Carleton University. He was an excellent football coach as well as kind and caring person. Always so positive and confident, in a calming manner.

My sincerest condolences.

Mr Wills:



As a former student a football player I just wanted to say thank you for everything.

I was a student of Mr. Wills at Laurentian in the early 1990's, and also played football for him there. He was a great coach and teacher; to both roles he brought an extraordinary intensity and passion. This was infectious and was a major reason that the football program was so successful during his many years there.

He was one of those rare teachers that you remember distinctly through the fog of passing years. The world is poorer without him.

My heart goes out to you, Lorraine.You were a wonderfull couple together.

I retired with Bob in 1998.He was one of the first to welcome me after my transfer from Nepean.He was a very special person and will be missed.

I had Mr. Wells for grade 12 chemistry back in 1969-1970. He was an absolutely fabulous teacher and was always upbeat. I always enjoyed his classes and had a secret crush on him. I was so shocked to hear of his passing. My sympathies go out to his wife and family and friends.

I had Mr. Wells for grade 12 chemistry back in 1969-1970. He was an absolutely fabulous teacher and ws always upbeat. I always enjoyed his classes and had a secret crush on him. I was so shocked to hear of his passing. My sympathies go out to his wife and family and friends.

My sympathies to Mr. Wills' family. He will long be remembered as a great coach of an outstanding football team and as one of my favourite chemistry teachers at Laurentian in the 70's. He will be missed by many.

I worked with Bob at Laurentian for over 30 years. He was always a model for me in many ways. He was, above all, one of the most ethical and responsible teachers I have ever met. He was a terrific classroom teacher, an honoured coach and a friend to many.

He was the sort of person you would trust with your life with no hesitation whatsoever.

There was a strength and intensity about him that became obvious the first time you met him. I know he remained that way right to the end.

Whenever I meet former students who knew him on the football field or the classroom, they talk about what a positive influence he was in their lives.

I will miss a colleague and a friend but, as a model for me, he will remain for the rest of my life.

Dear Mrs. Wills and family:



Mr. Wills was my high school Chemistry teacher at Laurentian. After high school, during my first year of university as I was stressing out about my workload, we had a memorable chat about how to approach university work. The strategy he suggested has stayed with me all these years and has helped immensely as I went through undergraduate and graduate level courses. He was a great guy and I will always remember him very fondly. I am so sorry for your loss.

Bob was a very "cool" cousin to his younger girl cousins growing up. And such a genuine and infectious laugh- it sounded like it just bubbled up from deep inside! I am so sorry for your loss-

I was a student in his first year teaching. It was clear that he loved what he was doing and he did it well.

Dear Bob,



So many memories. So much sadness.



Earliest memories go back to times we were together as children. Excitement when your family came to Ottawa on visits. You were celebrities, visiting from exciting places across Canada, bringing wonderful stories and lots of excitement.



Those memories include times at the cottage, fishing for perch off the point near the old Wills cottage; seeing who could “fall” in the lake on May 24th weekend, catching frogs down at the old frog pond; getting ice from the old ice house; exploring the boat house, and being “attacked by” and trying to catch bats in that huge fishing net.



There are so many cottage memories. I will never forget how you and Lorraine pulled down that old cottage; battled the bats and “leavings’ of other creatures; the glorious old fireplace you left standing. The amazing new cottage and its transformation into a wonderful house/home. The "evidence" of how well you fed the deer during the winter. Memories of many, many summers of visits back and forth and especially of your connection with my parents and the pleasure it gave them to see so much of you and Lorraine during the cottage season.



And many childhood memories of visiting you and your family in Clarkson. Working in the garden, picking raspberries for the people next door. Learning about gardening. Attending little league baseball games. And again, so many more.



And there are many memories of you and Lorraine. My first memory of you as a couple was while you were at Carleton, playing on the football team. You suffered a concussion and Lorraine and her family watched over you so carefully to ensure your full recovery. And then, your wedding was fabulous. I can still see us at the round tables, celebrating your union and toasting you both.



Many, many memories of the years you and Lorraine celebrated life together. Most, but not all, are times at Thorne Lake. There are also good memories of you both here in Ottawa and in Kanata, your hospitality and kindness. Many positive times.



And it is with sadness that I say goodbye.



The pain is over. The good memories will last forever.



Rest in peace.



Love, Peg