Bill Read was born at VGH and was a proud Vancouverite all of his life. He attended Kitsilano High School, served in the final year and a half of the European war with the Canadian Infantry Corps and then attended UBC. Bill enjoyed a 35 years career with Mercer Consultants, and was a founding member of the BC Recorder Society. He volunteered for 25 years at Crane Memorial Library recording text books for visually impaired students.
Bill Read was also a founding member of the BCFOA and officiated for 35 years.
CFL (i.e. WIFU at that time) Field Official in the late 1950s–early 1960s.
Bill served as the CFL Timekeeper in charge of ‘off-field’ officials, i.e.: Assistant Timekeeper, 20 second Clock Operator; and as the Commercials Timekeeper. Bill also served as a BC Lions’ statistician and Stadium Public Address Announcer.
The last CFL game that Bill Read worked was the 1987 Grey Cup.
In 2010, Bill and Shirley (his love from fifth grade) established an endowment to the City of Vancouver for a picnic table in the park at Trafalgar Beach. If you are in the area, please take the time to sit and remember Bill, as this has been a special beach for both of them since the 1930’s.
April 8,1927 – September 23, 2012