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Continued from page 13 to the next phase of his young business career, purchas- ing newspaper routes from other carriers for 25 cents a customer. He ended up with between 35 and 50 customers, delivering newspapers for the Telegram, Toronto Star, Star Weekly and the Globe in a heavy canvas bag over his shoulder. “J got up at 5:30 in the morning to deliver the Globe be- fore going to school, then delivered the Telegram and Star after school,” he said. The Star Weekly was only delivered on Saturdays. By the time he turned 16 years old, Bill gave up the paper routes and began working part-time for the T. Eaton Company in downtown Toronto, first as a messenger boy and later to a position in the sales audit department. After leaving school he was offered a full-time position with Eatons working his way up to the position of adjuster in the furnace department. “ fell in love with furnaces,” he smiled, explaining that it took him out of the office quite a bit. But after about three years there he got his first big break. At 26 years of age he was moved to the new Eaton store when it opened in Oshawa, as manager of the heavy goods department. Four years later he was called back to Toronto where he became part of a team planning the opening of the new Eatons store in Don Mills. Next came a promotion to the sporting goods department where he became manager for Ontario. It was in this capacity that he made his elevator while going to the company coffee shop early one morning after his drive to work from Seagrave. Af- first buying trip overseas to the Ori- ent. This was also his last trip with the Eaton company, as the Towers Department Store chain came calling and hired Bill away. But he has many fond memories of his days with Eatons and a friend- ship he developed with John David Eaton, the company’s owner. Bill first met Mr. Eaton on an Bill, left, travelled for about three yore superstar Gordie Howe who edaipment for Eatons across Snaro nen 1988) 16 FOCUS - OCTOBER 2009 with NHL sports ter that encounter they met numer- ous times since they were both early risers, they often crossed paths in the morning. It was during one of these en- counters that Mr. Eaton told Bill since the company didn’t have a pension plan that he should be vigilant and save his money. “It was good advice that I never forgot,” he says. He also fondly recalls a conver- sation in which he told Mr. Eaton about a man in Cannington who was selling his beekeeping opera- tion. Mr. Eaton had his personal beekeeper pick Bill up at his Sea- grave home, so he could take him to Cannington. Mr. Eaton purchased the man’s entire beekeeping operation and instructed his beekeeper to set up 12 hives on the Barr property in Seagrave. The hives resulted in an accident that almost took his life, after he was attacked by his bees and had to jump in his pond... but that’s another story... one you can ask him about. Bill’s career could not have moved along so rapidly with- ira ly in his ry 1p wit is Purpl Martin houses and a sign that Eddie Michelle had posted in Birdseye Centre Cabin Park when he owned it in the 1950s. out the support of his loving wife Shirley, who he met while attending a couples club at the Bellefair United Church when he was only 16 years old. “We hit it off pretty good and were married about three years later,” he recalls, and adds that they just celebrated their 56th anniversary this past March. Initially the newly married couple lived in two rented rooms of a house, with a shared bathroom. But when Shirley gave birth to twin boys, they moved into a larger apart- ment which had two bedrooms and their own bathroom. The apartment was in a four-plex and Bill agreed to manage the building for the owner, in exchange for reduction in their rent payments. Of their five children, four were born in Toronto and their youngest af- ter they moved to Port Perry in 1959. It was after the move to Port Perry, and while with Towers stores that Bill did most of his travelling. As head purchaser for the company he travelled extensively, for six weeks at a time, throughout Japan, Taiwan, Korea and China purchasing sport- ing goods. He also spent many weeks a year in England, Germany, France