HORTON, William Manus "Bill"
HORTON, William Manus "Bill" — 89, of Kentville, passed away in Soldiers' Memorial Hospital - Veterans Unit, Middleton on Sunday, January 10, 2010. Bill was born in Port Williams, the only child of the late William Brady and Effie (Holden) Horton. Bill spent most of his life in Kentville where he had brought his bride to live after the war had ended in 1945. He graduated from Kings County Academy with honours in 1940. He served in the RCAF during the Second World War working as an airframe mechanic on various designs of aircraft. In 1941 Bill joined the Kentville Volunteer Fire Department as a volunteer firefighter and in 2003 he was honoured by the department for being its oldest veteran member. In 1941, with no regard for his own life, Bill retrieved a young girl who had broken through the ice on Mill Brook. Bill was successful in rescuing her but she was unable to be revived by medical personnel. His act of heroism was noted in various newspapers throughout Nova Scotia. Bill was also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Kings Branch No. 6, Kentville. He worked at T. P. Calkin Ltd. for 23 years. Bill was an avid stamp collector and had compiled an extensive collection throughout his lifetime. He was also an award winning photographer and continued to take photographs well into his 80s. He was also a member of the Kentville Gun club and enjoyed hunting and fishing and was a member of the Kings County Wildlife Association and the Blomidon Naturalist Society. He and Del were keenly interested in genealogy and traced the Horton family lines back 13 generations to 1600. After retirement he and Del traveled to various parts of the world but mostly they spent their time with family over at their cottage, Whispering Pines, in New London, P.E.I. and at the Hummingbird cottage at Aylesford Lake. He was a keen sailor and with his sons won several first place banners as captain of the Peregrine Falcon..."Perry". Bill was a member of St. James Anglican Church, Kentville where at many turkey dinners Bill carved the turkeys. He is survived by his sons, Eric (Nancy) of Fall River, and Kenneth (Barbara) of Mount Uniacke; son-in-law, Paul Longley of Kentville; grandchildren, Scott (Ailie) Longley, Sherri Longley, Shaun (Krista) Horton and Lyndsey Horton; great-grandchildren, Kourtnie Evans, Timothy and Brittany Longley, Ethan and Austin Horton. Bill is also survived by a sister-in-law, Dorothy Clarke of Prince Edward Island. Besides his parents, Bill was predeceased by his wife of 58 years, Adell "Dell" (Parkman) Horton; his daughter, Ann Louise Longley, and great-granddaughter, Emily Jean Longley. Good bye Bill, Dad, Grampie, Gramps, and Grampie Bill. Cremation has taken place. Visitation held Wednesday, January 13, with a Royal Canadian Legion service held both in White Family Funeral Home, Kentville. The funeral service, followed by a reception was held Thursday, January 14, in St. James Anglican Church, Kentville, Archdeacon Lynn Uzans officiated. Burial to take place in Elm Grove Cemetery, Steam Mill, Kings Co. Donations in memory may be made to the ALS Society of Nova Scotia, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia or Canadian Diabetes Association. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to White Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Kentville. On-line inquiries or condolences may be directed to: www.whitefamilyfuneralhome.com