Obituary of William Frank Bickford
WILLIAM FRANK BICKFORD
March 2, 1942 – October 7, 2025
The Bickford family is sad to announce the passing of their special husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Bill (83) was born in Sidney, BC, and resided in the Brentwood area for all of his young life. Although he was a mischievous kid, always testing the limits, he soon learned all about work ethic “an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay” honesty, integrity, values, and goals.
Bill began his apprenticeship in cabinet making in the fall of 1959 at Moore Whittington Lumber Company. When his trade was completed, he started a business with a friend, remodeling and building houses. During this time, he married the love of his life, Heather McWilliam, on August 19, 1961.
Most of the Bickford relatives raised berries on the Saanich Peninsula, but Bill didn’t care for that kind of farming. He and Heather already had two acres of loganberries, so they decided to try something else.
Their adventure took them to the Peace Country in July of 1965, where they’ve continued to live for the last 60 years. Bill didn’t know anything about wheat, barley, or oats, but he was persistent in learning everything he could. As an employee of School District 60’s maintenance division, Bill travelled extensively throughout his workday and was able to see what crops were being grown and what farms were for sale. In October 1966, the first three quarters were purchased. It was the beginning of Bickford Farms — and, besides his family, his life’s passion.
Bill was thrilled when his daughter Sharlene arrived in November of ’67 and son Gary in January of ’69. When his children were growing up, Bill was involved with the Silver Willow 4-H Club and later the International Agricultural Exchange Association, when the family hosted 30 trainees over a 24-year span. He was instrumental in the founding of the Fort St. John Seed Cleaning Plant, the Old Timers’ Hockey Rec League, and was a member of the Victoria Flying Club, the Portage Mountain Yacht Club, the BC Angus Association, the North Pine Farmers’ Institute, and a partner in Foothills Equipment.
Bill loved to travel, fish, play table tennis, have the odd round of golf, dance, fly his plane, spend time with his grandchildren, knock down trees with his dozer, till the soil, and fix just about anything.
He is survived by his loving family: wife of 64 years, Heather; daughter Sharlene Kantz (Rick) and their daughters Sarah (Paden) Sheldon and Rebecca (Rylan); son Gary (Rachelle) and their daughters Robyn Richards (Brayden), Jessie (Cade), and Maddy; great-grandchildren William and Scarlett Sheldon, and Lainey Richards; brother-in-law Allen McWilliam (Heather).
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, George and Violet Bickford; brother Ronald (Agnes); sister Joy Schmidt (Bill); his in-laws, George and Anne McWilliam; and brother-in-law Glen McWilliam (Doreen).
The Bickford family would like to thank Drs. Thomson, Hellqvist, and Youssef, and the staff of the Fort St. John Hospital for their wonderful care of Bill while he was a patient.
A Celebration of Life for Bill will be held at the Montney Hall on Friday, October 24, at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice.
