William Ernest Grover of Belleville and formerly of Waterloo, passed away at Belleville General Hospital on February 28, 2023, in his 99th year.
Husband of the late Marjorie Grover (2018), his loving wife of 71 years. Father of Rod Grover of Prague, Czech Republic, and Bill Grover of Belleville.
Grandfather of Ondrej and Nikola Grover of Prague, Czech Republic, Sarah Grover of Trenton, and Carrie Grover of Orleans.
Great-grandfather of Jade, Chase, Gabriel, William and Jindrich (George).
Bill was born in London, Ontario on October 23, 1924 to Albert and Bessie (Howes) Grover, both from the United Kingdom. Bill, the youngest of six children, was predeceased by his three sisters Dorothy, Kay and Mary, and by his two brothers Albert and Walter. He followed his brothers to answer their nation’s call to arms in WW2 but his enlistment was reversed when it was discovered he was too young — however, on his 18th birthday he was permitted to re-enlist provided he complete boot camp for a second time. Upon his return from tour in Europe in 1946 and demobilization, he married Marjorie Boyne on July 6, 1946 and took up life on ‘civi-street’. Not to his liking he re-enlisted and remained in the forces until his retirement in 1969. After retiring from the military, he pursued a number of different occupations in a number of different cities. From a small signage company to a large international conveyor manufacturer to the Entomology Laboratory, all of Belleville, Ontario to finally finish his working career at Canada Pump and Blower in Waterloo, Ontario in 1989.
His time was then devoted to woodworking, fishing and travelling with his wife Marjorie, to Florida and Prague, Czech Republic. They would return from these excursions with hundreds of pictures and stories, and would catalogue them all. When international travelling became increasingly difficult, they would make trips to, and host visits from, their sons and their families accompanied with much picture taking and memory making.
A Celebration of Bill’s Life will be held at the Eaton Funeral Home, Listowel on Friday, July 7, 2023 at 1:00 p.m., with reception to follow.
Interment in Fairview Cemetery, Listowel.
Memorial donations to CNIB would be appreciated.
Online condolences may be left at www.eatonfuneralhome.ca
