ABLEY, CHARLES WILLIAM
Charles William (Bill) Abley passed away on Sunday, November 3, 2013 at the age
of 89. He was predeceased by his wife, Lilian and his infant daughter, Patricia. Bill is survived by three children: Bill (Gwen) of Kamloops, Alun (Alison) of Major, Newport, South Wales, and Stephen of Kelowna; and grandchildren: Bill (Nicole) of Prince George, Jayne (Michael) Latta of Kamloops and Andrew (Lisa) of Kelowna, Tegan Abley of Newport, South Wales and
Nathan (Kate) of Kelowna.He is also survived by six great grandchildren: Christopher and Nicholas Abley (Prince George), Isaac and Hannah Latta
(Kamloops), Kenzie Abley (Kelowna, Astiracia Abley (Kelowna). "Uncle Bill" also leaves behind close friends Mary Duckworth and Barbara Butler.
Bill was born on October 31, 1924, the sixth child in a family of ten children. In his youth, he was an accomplished soccer (football) player and could have pursued a professional career had he not joined the British Marines at age seveteen. As a Royal Marine, he completed his basic training at Chatham, Kent before being dispatched to
campaigns in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. His unit trained for the D Day invasion and on that day and for the next five weeks, his ship was off the coast of France, providing cover fire for the troops landing on the Normandy beaches.
Following D Day he was dispatched to India, Burma and Singapore. It was in the Far East that he contracted two bouts of malaria and was bitten by a venomous snake.
After being demobbed in 1946, he met Lilian Hughes and they were married in Nottingham, England five months later. In 1957, together with sons, Bill and Alun, Bill and Lilian moved to Kelowna where he pursued a career as a
carpenter. In 1958 son Stephen was born.
He was an ambitious worker. He made huge sacrifices for his family by leaving England to provide greater
opportunities for his children in Canada.
After the passing of his wife, 2000, Bill moved to Kamloops in 2004 where he resided until he passed away. A private graveside service will be held on Friday, November 8th at Lakeview Memorial Gardens Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to B.C. Parkinson's Society.