William Kilner

November 4, 2021

William Darcey Kilner

May 7, 1953 - November 4, 2021

William (Bill) Darcey Kilner, 68, of Coquitlam, BC, passed away peacefully at Surrey Memorial Hospital after a brave battle with cancer. He is survived by his partner, Mary-Lee; son, Aaron (Sara), daughter, Lisa, and their mother, Caroline; granddaughter, Maeve; sister, Sharon (and her daughter, Verlaine); brother, Wayne (Betty, and their children Dan and Sarah); brother, Garry; Mary-Lee's sons, Darren (Lauren) and Justin (Sara); and his many cousins, extended family, and dear family friends. He will be deeply missed.

Bill was born in North Vancouver and resided in the Greater Vancouver area his entire life. For most of his career, Bill worked as a manager of custodial services in Lions Gate, Vancouver General and Ridge Meadows Hospitals, and in the latter part of his career, for the Coquitlam School District. He was always hard-working, bringing a respectful, fair and genuine manner to all kinds of situations. He was eager to help others ​and he made many friends in all of these settings.

Bill enjoyed simple pleasures: ​spending many fun-filled, relaxing times with family in the Okanagan, Manning Park and Black Mountain Ranch, browsing used bookstores, playing volleyball with friends, hiking a local trail ​or visiting a new local brewery. He was very encouraging and supportive of his children in their pursuits, from coaching Lisa’s soccer team for many years to taking Aaron to local skateboard parks, and he imparted to them an interest in a range of areas including music, nature, sports and the arts. He held a deep regard for non-human creatures both wild and domesticated, and modelled a sense of care and gentleness toward animals. An avid fan of the Canucks, Lions and Whitecaps, he found great joy when these teams were at their best. His creativity could be seen in the models and figurines he assembled and brought to life with a subtle attention to detail.​ He will also be remembered for his wicked sense of humour and ability to share a good joke or tell a funny story.  “Bumpa” took great pleasure in being a grandfather. His granddaughter, Maeve, came to know him as a fun grandpa who loved to play games, coach tree climbing and share an occasional gag. 

The family extends their heartfelt appreciation to the staff in the Palliative Care Unit at Surrey Memorial Hospital, who provided care and support to Bill in his final days.  A celebration of life will be held in the spring 2022. 

You are invited to leave a personal message for the family.

Add Message of Condolence

Messages of Condolence