We Remember
BRITCH, William
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Born in Vilka, Belarus in 1925, Bill Britch passed away peacefully on May 24, in Kelowna, BC.
Bill arrived in Canada when he was three years old. He travelled from Belarus with his mother and older siblings to join his father, who had come to Canada beforehand to establish a home prior to the family’s arrival. The family developed a homestead at McMurphy, 18 miles north of Vavenby, BC.
Bill was a veteran of WWII. Bill seldom spoke of his war years but loved to tell the story of the Queen Mother visiting in an English hospital where he was recovering from a shell hit. While stationed at Ede in the Netherlands, his regiment organized a dance. In his search for a date for the dance, Bill met Carol, who struck him as a very attractive and intelligent young woman. They met in the spring of 1945 and then Bill shipped out to Germany in the fall of that year. In 1946, he returned home with his Dutch war bride, Carol.
They established a home in Hope, BC where they lived for 7 years. Bill and Carol raised their family in the Merritt area, where they lived for 14 years. Bill worked in the logging industry most of his life. He had a reputation as a hard-working, reliable, and experienced logger. When he was not working, he loved to hunt and fish. From Merritt, Bill moved to the Prince George area, where he worked as a logging supervisor for several large forestry companies. Bill and Carol retired in 1986 to Christina Lake, where they built their dream home. In 1994 they moved to Kelowna.
Bill is survived by his three children Cliff (Ginette), George (Barbara), and Margery Poittris; his 10 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and 1 great-great-grandchild. He is also survived by siblings Rose Hrycan, Mary Mercer, George Britch, Nell Dyble, and Ann Dyble; and his very special friend and companion, Sheila Wilson. Sadly in 2011, he was predeceased by his wife Carol.
An Interment Service will be held on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at 3:30 pm, at Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery, 1991 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC. An informal memorial gathering will be held on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, at 4:30 pm, at Springfield Funeral Home Family Centre, 2020 Springfield Road, Kelowna, BC.
If you wish to send a condolence, post photos, or share a memory, please scroll down the page to the area called “Condolences”.
Service
TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 2022, at 3:30 PM
Location
KELOWNA MEMORIAL PARK CEMETERY
We will miss Grump dearly. Sending our love.
Monica and the girls
I was lucky enough to spend a few weeks with Bill and Carol at their place in Christina Lake. They were both so kind and caring. My deepest condolences go out to the Britch family for your loss.
My sincere condolences to the family. Only met Bill a couple of times but he was always very pleasant and interesting to talk to. RIP Bill, fly with the Angels
Cliff , George and Margery:
So sorry to hear about the passing of your dad…I remember spending time at your house as we were quite close neighbors.
I am looking forward to a visit during the reunion.
Terry
I Didn’t know Bill for too long but I know he was a jovial and nice fellow. I will miss him because he was a ‘character ‘who knew how to make his presence visible. Peaceful wishes to the family. I know Bill had a full and intriguing life, and now it’s time for him to rest.