Obituary of William Joseph Sheridan

Bill Sheridan passed away unexpectedly on November 16, 2020, in his home at the age of 86. He was born in Halifax to the late Michael and Ethel (Ling) Sheridan. After attending Saint Patrick’s School for Boys, he followed in his father’s footsteps and began his career at Maritime Tel & Tel (MT&T), where he worked from 1950 until his retirement in 1993. Bill married his sweetheart Joyce in 1959, and the couple settled in the North End Halifax home that they would share until the time of his passing. As a young married couple, Bill and Joyce enjoyed spending time at home with friends and relatives, often playing bridge late into the night. Together they raised a family of four sons and three daughters in the Catholic faith that so defined him in life.

A man of great devotion to his Lord, Bill attended mass every morning at Saint Mary’s Basilica before starting his workday at the Maritime Centre in downtown Halifax. Bill was a faithful member of Saint Stephen’s Catholic Church (now Saint Mother Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Church) from 1959 until his death. A dedicated parishioner, he was a welcoming presence at the church dating back to at least the 1980s when he began serving there as an usher. Following his retirement, Bill for many years opened the church every morning and prepared the altar for mass, typically arriving two hours before mass was scheduled to start. He was a fixture at the monthly seniors’ mass. At church socials he would routinely entertain all comers by telling clever jokes and singing Bing Crosby’s greatest hits. Bill, in his twilight years, was grateful to his fellow parishioners, Lorraine Hurshman especially, for the kind-hearted efforts they made in assisting him to remain active in parish life. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council 8666. Bill was presented the Blessed Mother Teresa Parish Service Award in 2013 in recognition of his years of service to the parish.

In his heyday, Bill was a model airplane hobbyist of some small renown. His proudest achievement in modeling came when he built a line-controlled, balsa wood, World War II era Corsair fighter plane that was put up on display at the Hobby Lobby (then located in the Bayer’s Road Shopping Centre). His interest in modeling he shared with his long-time friend Wayne Matthews. And Bill, an avid reader and something of a history buff, highly valued Wayne’s Friday evening visits to the house, where the two friends would debate the issues of the day over a bag of Hostess potato chips and a six-pack of Schooner Lagers. To say that Bill had a lifelong passion for microscopy would be an understatement. On weekends, Bill could often be found fiddling around with the (at one point 30 or so) microscopes in his collection. He was a founding member of the Historical Microscopical Society of Canada.

Bill would always say, “If the house ever catches fire: first out the door go the microscopes, then the kids, then Joyce, then me.” Fortunately, his family members never found out whether he was serious or not, although they are more or less sure that he was joking. Of one thing, however, they are certain: he would have sent his grandchildren to the front of the queue. Bill dearly loved his grandkids. He took an especially active role in caring for Matthew and Meaghan Golden during his retirement. Bill maintained that his grandchildren brought him his greatest joy in life.

After his retirement, Bill would reminisce fondly about his time at MT&T, never hesitating to entertain with lighthearted office stories from bygone days. He kept in contact with his work friends over the years at their monthly coffee club held at Cousin’s Restaurant. Retirement also allowed Bill to return to his artistic roots. Before his eyesight began to fade, he spent much of his spare time painting landscapes, portraits, and still lifes. His many paintings now hang proudly in his children’s homes. In his final years, Bill cherished frequent visits from his children’s families, and regular phone calls from his out-of-province living sons, Michael and Paul. He always enjoyed Michael’s quick wit, and was proud of Paul for being awarded a Ph.D. from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 2011. Despite Bill not quite seeing eye to eye with Paul in matters of faith, he shared a special bond with him in life, and never gave up on trying to bring Paul around to his point of view.

Bill was a loyal husband, a devoted father, a warm and supportive grandfather, and a man of conviction, who, through his unshakable faith, encouraged others to be strong in theirs.

He is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Joyce (McLean) Sheridan; seven children, Anne Sheridan (Larry), Susan Cole, Cathy Golden, William (Billy) Sheridan Jr., John Sheridan, Michael Sheridan (Tammy), and Paul Sheridan (Atsuki); and eight grandchildren, Jill, Wesley, Jerry, Daniel, Matthew, Meaghan, Michael Joyce, and Allison. He is also survived by his sister Joan Kelly along with several nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death are his sisters Anne Flinn (Errol), Mary Belair (Maurice) and his brother Jim Sheridan.

A funeral service will be held at Saint Mother Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Church on Saturday, August 7, 2021 at 11 AM. In place of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Saint Mother Teresa of Kolkata Catholic Church.