Victoria Prime Timer passes

The following obituary will run in the Victoria Times-Colonist and Vancouver Sun

FRASER, Colin William (Bill)

1925-2005. Passed away peacefully October 12, 2005, with his loving family by his side, in Victoria, BC. Colin was born in Matsqui, BC Oct. 29, 1925, the son of Colin William Fraser and Anna Margaret Gilchrist, and grew up in Abbotsford, BC. He earned his degree in Librarianship from McGill, began his career as a librarian in Toronto and Nanaimo then became the first librarian at the Prince George Public Library.

In the early sixties, he became Director of the BC Medical Library Service in Vancouver. He served the doctors and health professionals of BC for thirty years, expanding and shaping a wide network of hospital libraries. As a frequent speaker, teacher, mentor and leader, Colin was a respected and cherished member of Health Libraries associations and the library profession. He leaves the legacy of a scholarship at UBC, given annually to the most promising student in Medical Librarianship. He moved to Victoria in 1995.

All who knew this kind and generous man will remember his keen intellect, wide ranging interests, and caring and passionate commitment to humanism. He was an active member of the Unitarian Church in Vancouver and Victoria, offering his leadership on many committees, running the church library, establishing a Welcoming Congregation, and inaugurating an annual GBTL Art Show, recently named the Fraser Art Show in his honour. He was also an active member of Prime Timers Victoria. A lifelong supporter of the arts, Colin loved film, theatre, opera, music, literature and dance. He cared deeply about the world, and left a lasting legacy by making regular generous contributions to a multitude of worthy causes. A spiritual, insightful man who lived his beliefs, he was often a pioneer who helped others to be or do more.

Colin will be lovingly remembered and sadly missed as a wonderful father, grandfather, and brother by his four children Meg, Kate, Don, and Bruce, sons-in-law Del and Rich, daughter-in-law Trish, grandchildren Auren, Amy, Megan, Sarah, Ayla, Jenna, Angelica, and Ramona, loving sister Margaret, and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and sister Donna. Colin will also be missed by his many beloved friends who were so important to him, and the many people he touched and inspired throughout his life. They and his family will always remember his supportive, enduring, and unconditional friendship, his lively, intelligent humour, his sparkling blue eyes, and his warm, gentle smile.

Friends are invited to share in a Celebration of Life for Colin on Sat. November 5, 2005 at 1:00pm, at the First Unitarian Church, 5575 West Saanich Rd. Victoria, BC, Reverend Jane Bramadat officiating. For more information or to send a message, please email katechallenger@shaw.ca Memorial donations may be made to the BC Schizophrenia Society, Victoria, and to the Victoria Hospice Society. The family would like to thank Dr. Derek Carroll, and the Victoria Hospice special staff and nurses for their loving and compassionate care of Colin.