PERKINS, William Henry Jerome “Bill”…(Ret’d Warrant Officer – CAF)…peacefully with his family by his side at the Georgian Bay General Hospital on Friday June 17, 2022 in his 84th year.
Husband for 63 years to Antoinette “Toni”(nee Forget). Proud father of Beverly Bald & her husband Ken and even prouder of his granddaughter Shannyn. He will be sadly missed by his brothers Robert “Bob” & his wife Liz and Bert & his wife Colette, his sisters Mary Peterson & her husband Bill and Lorraine Hryhorchuk & her husband Jerry. Predeceased by his parents William & Alice Perkins and his sons Michael William Perkins and Brian Kenneth Perkins. Bill will be missed by his many nephews and nieces and by his many friends. He will be remembered as a man who had a great sense of humour and who enjoyed teasing all of those around him.
Born in Kitchener, Ontario in 1939, Bill joined the Canadian Military in 1957 and together with his wife Toni, they travelled to many parts of Canada. Bill started his career in the Military as an Air Frame Tech which took him to Cold Lake, Alberta where he worked on the F18 Fighter Jets. After Cold Lake, Bill was transferred to Petawawa, Ontario where he changed his trade to become a Flight Engineer on the Twin Huey Helicopters. While in Petawawa, Bill was involved in a helicopter crash where he saved the life of the co-pilot of the Twin Huey helicopter, for which he was later awarded the Order of Military Merit by then Governor-General Jules Leger.
In 1980, Bill and Toni moved to Trenton, Ontario where Bill once again changed his trade to be a Flight Engineer on the C130 Hercules. He retired from his career in the Military in 1985 and later moved on to become a Flight Engineer on Commercial Airlines, mostly with Nationair out of Montreal, Quebec. While in the Military and during his time with civilian airlines, Bill travelled extensively throughout North America, Europe, Africa and East Asia. His most memorable trips were to Africa, where he went on safari and when saw the Great Pyramids in Egypt.
After Bill finally retired, he and Toni moved to Midland, Ontario, where he enjoyed boating, fishing, darts, cards, and socializing with his many friends and relatives and spending time at the Penetanguishene Legion, as both an executive and volunteer. The family would like to thank the Doctors and Nurses at the Georgian Bay General Hospital who made Bill’s final days comfortable and pain free.
There will be a celebration of life for Bill, on July 9, 2022 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM at the Penetanguishene Legion at 2 Poyntz Street, Penetanguishene, ON. As expressions of sympathy, donations to the Royal Canadian Legion or the Canadian Cancer Society in Bill’s name would be appreciated. Arrangements entrusted to the Penetanguishene Funeral Home
