Cathedralites - Say “Goodbye Bill”

I have posted details of the funeral on our Seventh Heaven Blog

Annikki and I would like to say our fond farewell to our dear friend, my physics teacher from my days in Cathedral and John Connon School, Bombay (Mumbai).

Bill passed away yesterday at the age of 98. His wife, Pushpa was with him.

Bill introduced me to physics and the basics he taught me, starting with the first experiment on measuring specific gravity, stood me in good stead especially when I had to master the subject of Polymer Physics.

Bill was on the staff of the school and introduced us to Physics.

Boys' School Staff 1958

Bill was the Assistant House Master of Wilson House which was Cock House in 1956

Bill was a powerful singer and sang as tenor in the St. Thomas Cathedral Choir where I was also privileged to sing under late Charles Velu.

The portal of the St. Thomas Cathedral church.

Bill also sang the lead in the school annual musical operas.

He and his wife, Pushpa, took part in our 2009 Golden Jubilee Reunion of the Class of 59 in Bombay. He also visited the reunion of the 1964ers Reunion, with me and 59er class teacher John Billington, held the same year.

Bill in the group photo of the 59ers after the Founders Day Service

Our contact with Bill and Pushpa was kept alive by the late Hasnain Chinwala (Chinnie), our dear classmate, who also lived in Toronto, Canada, and visited Bill and Pushpa as often as they would have him.

This photo album below with inputs from late Chinnie, compiled by me, shows how dear Bill and Pushpa were to us 59ers. 

Family photo of Bill and Pushpa

We celebrated Bill's 85th birthday via late Chinnie.

We were also there, in spirit, for Bill's 90th birthday, thanks to late Chinnie.

Bill, Pushpa and late Chinnie with Viney

Bill, Viney and late Chinnie

Pushpa lays out the dinner table for Viney

Bill, Viney and Pushpa

Their doors were always open for us 59ers. 59er Viney Sethi from California and late Chinnie visited him in Toronto and they called me on the phone from there.

59er Dr. Narsys Irani, who was also his student, living in Toronto also visited Bill.

We will miss our dear Bill. 

I am greatly indebted to 54er Gracie Hayeem for updating me of this news. Pushpa had informed me of the situation, after 64er Basil Colaco had informed me that Bill was slowly fading.

I attended the Annual General Meeting of our school alumni today and informed the participants of the passing of Bill. Shyla Boga Patel said she would carry this news on our Cathedral School website.

May Bill rest in peace. 

May our Lord bring peace to Pushpa and their family at this time, knowing he was greatly loved by all of us. 

Condolences from every single 59er who have loved Bill from our first interaction in 1954 (70 years ago).

Speaking with Bill

Yesterday evening I rang to Toronto, Canada, to wish my Physics teacher of 50 years ago a very happy 85th birthday. I also spoke to Pushpa, his wife, who had also been a teacher in our Mumbai school. My classmate, 59er Hasnain Chinwala (Chinnie), who also lives in Toronto was with Bill (prearranged) when I called as we, 59ers, paid our respects to a man who firmly shaped our lives.

That Bill and Pushpa attended our 50th year reunion in Mumbai last year was itself such a joy for all us 59ers. They lent their solidarity with a class of boys who have traversed the world and sought success based on the fundamentals of life that were instilled in us by our teachers. Not just our classroom performance, but our moral values were instilled in us by these wonderful Gurus!


(Photo thanks to the 64er Rajiv Ved when we took time off for a fee minutes to attend their reunion in Mumbai.)

In the olden days, as per the Indian Civilisation, the Guru was a man to be revered. All of us 59ers have revered all our teachers during the ensuing years. But Bill and John (who was our class teacher and our English teacher in 1959) are very special as they took the time to travel a long distance at great expense, many thousands of kilometres, to be with us as we reveled in our past last November.

In our conversation we talked about many things - including the greetings from other 59ers (which Hasnain had forwarded to Bill,) the loss of another wonderful teacher, Alberto Zavala from peru, our geography teacher, the exploits of Greg, our Chemistry teacher, and the whereabouts of many past Canadian Cathedralites, as Torontian 59er Narsys, but not just our classmates, as 63er Monty Wilson and 49er Peter and 51er Sheila (née Contractor) Vaney, and Peter's brother, 57er Herbert.

Now that Pushpa and Bill live right in the centre of Toronto, a stone's throw from Lake Ontario, I will make it a point to visit them soon as my grandson, Samu, an Ice Hockey fan, wants to visit that great city, with his Grandpa, to see one of his favourite teams play.

Happy birthday Bill - we love you!