top of page

Bill Danners

Image by Nick Andréka

WILLIAM “BILL” CHARLES DANNERS

March 26, 1942 - December 11, 2024

After 82 years of age, Bill peacefully slipped away from us, with his wife of 57 years, Gloria (Kehler), by his side.


Bill will be missed by his children, Curt (Cheryl) and Karen (Kurt Shaw); his grandchildren, Will, Wes, River, and Elliot; his brothers, Bob (Cheryl) and Colin Jewell (Contessa); and many brothers and sisters-in-law (too many to count!)


A lifelong Winnipeg resident, Bill grew up in St. James, where his creativity blossomed. He often led his brothers and neighborhood friends in creating plays and skits, with Bill behind the camera capturing those memories. These moments brought him great joy, and he loved revisiting them throughout his life.


Bill, along with his brothers, spent many years practicing their accordion skills. It gave their mother great joy and she always referred to them as “my three sons”. All the years of playing the accordion and the organ fostered in Bill a love for music and joy with creating beloved home movies, first on his Super 8, and later moving on as technology grew.


As he got older, Bill attended high school at Tec Voc and studied drafting, as well as working at his dad’s steel iron shop after school.


Bill met Gloria at age 25 and knew she was the one, asking her to “do me the honour and marry me”. It was a whirlwind romance and faster than anyone could believe it they were wed.


Early in his career, Bill worked at Duraps Corporation, and later became a founding member of Boretta Construction where he was chief estimator and later vice president. Bill worked day and night for Boretta, often bringing his work home, going over tenders, and putting together bids for various jobs. The large buttoned calculator would come out on the dining room table and it was clear he had a deadline and would be busy until the work was done. This work ethic he modelled to his kids daily.


But Bill also knew how to play.


Bill loved the 50s music era. As he and Gloria began their family and moved to Oakbank, it became clear that the 50s were here to stay. It was a regular occurrence to have friends and family over on the weekends, listening to the jukebox filled with 45s, having a go on the dance floor, complete with a disco ball and strobe lights flashing. Not one to sing, he cheered everyone one else on and took pleasure in recording all the shenanigans they got into. One of his best strengths was his sense of humor, and this he showed us all as, when every friend turned 40 he created his own special interview with all the friends, asking questions about the birthday recipient, then cutting in pieces from various songs to create the most funny and ridiculous answers. He spent so much time and effort to make sure other people were having a good time. It could only have made them feel loved.


Before these parties, as the house sat ready after a day of cleaning, the cold cuts, bread and cheese ready to be pulled out, it was Bill and Gloria’s ritual as they awaited their guests, to sit at the organ, Bill playing and Gloria singing along, usually something by Patsy Cline or the Everly Brothers. Bill loved to cheer on Gloria, always her biggest supporter, always content to let her shine.


While living in Oakbank, Bill played an instrumental role in shaping the community, contributing to the development of the community center, ice rink, Kin Place, and the Country Convenience mall. His efforts also included overseeing the construction of four homes on Cypress Avenue, which marked the Kehler family's arrival in town.


As Bill’s children grew, he again was their cheerleader, taking Curt to hockey games and dirt bike races, taking Karen to music lessons – always with a trip to 7-eleven for a slurpee on the way home. A tolerant parent, Bill even gave Curt carte blanche with the basement and allowed his band to practice there, again showing support and pride for whatever his kids were into.


The grandkids felt this support from Bill too. Will loved the time Grandpa took him on a trip to hockey camp at the University of North Dakota. Wes is fond of the many trips to Grand Forks with Grandma and Grandpa, to the water park at Canad Inns, a weekend full of swimming and shopping. River and Elliot remember Grandpa always had a camera in his hand, always in the first row or near to it so he could get the best video of any concert or recital he found them in. Again, behind the lens, Bill aimed to support and record these memories for all of us to enjoy. We all felt the constancy of his support.


Consistency defined Bill in many other ways. He loved his red polo shirts, loved to shop for red polo shirts, and as over the years Gloria would give them away, he took pleasure in buying even more red polo shirts. It was always a given that if one couldn’t find a good Christmas gift for him, the easy fall back was a red polo shirt.


Again, a creature of habit, Bill had very simple culinary tastes. The standard snack or meal for Bill, the one that brought him so much joy, was peanut butter. He could have survived on peanut butter daily if Gloria let him. It was his favourite thing to dip peanut butter and toast in his coffee.


Bill was an early riser for all the years working in construction. He always said “5 o’clock comes early!” every evening at 10:00 as he would tell the kids to cut the noise or turn off the tv. Bill loved his tv. He loved to watch hockey and football, loved all the commentary, and had a deep interest in the Jets and the Bombers. This brought him so much joy over the years and is proven by all the many jerseys he owned and shared with family when needed.


Bill had a special bond with family pets. He adored the various dogs over the years that came into Curt’s family. He was always curious and eager to see River’s rabbits and Elliot’s rats. Each time upon meeting them his eyes lit up with happiness. To this end, he even received his own surprise pet one Christmas as he unwrapped his very own hamster, Geronimo. The look of delight on his face was priceless.


Bill loved old cars, loved reminiscing about his 59 Plymouth Fury, and finding one later in life and bringing it home to restore with Curt was a real joy for him, showing it off with pride at many car shows, winning awards in the hot sun.


Bills love for Gloria endured 57 years, a testament to their deep and enduring commitment to each other. Towards the end, Bill relied on Gloria for just about everything. He loved nothing more than to take a drive out to Curt and Cheryl’s new home and visit their beloved dogs, Buzz and Chewie. This gave him so much happiness, especially to see them running free, now in the country with nothing holding them back.


Now, Bill is at peace, and has nothing holding him back, free from the pain and constraints of age. The music of the 50s can play for him all day long, and into the night, like his beloved jukebox, that took no quarters, only the push of a button.


Our thanks to the staff at Concordia Hospital for their care and support for allowing him to die with peace and dignity.


A celebration of Bill’s life will be held later in the spring at a private family gathering.


Bill’s family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.


ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

Memories, Stories and Condolences

 

Please share a story, photo, memory or condolence for the family by completing the form below and clicking "Post Comment"

Thank you for your comment!

3 Comments

Leave a Comment

↑ Both fields are required ↓

Upload Photo(s)

Gisele Horvath

December 22, 2024 at 12:09 PM

OUR SYMPATHIES TO YOU GLORIA AND FAMILY. WILL KEEP YOU IN OUR PRAYERS!

Natalie (Steve) Danners

December 21, 2024 at 8:52 PM

Super glad Bill reached out to tap my shoulder at a Bomber game to confirm the name on the Jersey I was wearing really said, "Danners"! To get back in touch with long lost relatives was a true blessing. Our heartfelt condolences.

Cheryl A. Danners

December 21, 2024 at 3:38 PM

Always the kid, especially at Christmas calling us at 7:00 AM To ask when we were coming over to open presents. Missing you this Christmas dad. ❤️‍🩹

DEATH CARE SERVICES OF WINNIPEG INC.  Copyright 2019

Ethical Death Care (Death Care Services Inc.) is privately, independently, and locally owned. Shane Neufeld and the original team of Integrity Death Care own and manage this organisation.

bottom of page