Age 76, passed away peacefully on July 7, 2016, at the Victoria General Hospital in Halifax. Born in Salmon Arm, BC, he was the son of the late Jack and Ina (Laitinen) Hautala. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of British Columbia in 1961, Bill worked as a reporter in Kamloops, BC. He soon caught the travel bug however, and after trekking extensively through Europe, discovered Canada’s East Coast. After an interlude in Toronto, he settled in Halifax, where he worked in a wide variety of jobs, including as roadcrew for the 1970s rock band Soma, as a crewmember onboard the Coast Guard ship Baffin, and later in his life, as the night desk manager for the Halifax YMCA. Bill was very social – he enjoyed many a night out listening to live music or watching TV sports in local pubs and engaging in lively discussion – yet at the same time intensely private. He was a crazy dancer even into his 70s and a devoted long-time Halifax Mooseheads season ticket holder. Extremely well-read and having an encyclopedic memory, Bill was famous for his regular completion, in ink, of the NYT crossword puzzle, with few, if any, corrections. He was a devoted uncle to his grand-nieces Lisa and Amanda McArthur. Bill is survived by nephews and nieces Bruce McArthur, of Mineville, NS, Ian McArthur, of Chase, BC, Robert Hautala, of Kelowna, BC, Sandi Hill, of New Westminister, BC, and Nancy Ward, of Coquitlam, BC, and their families. He leaves behind extended family in the Salmon Arm area, and a wide circle of friends in Halifax. Bill was predeceased by brothers Jack and Robert Hautala, and sisters Mildred McArthur and Irene Stunden. A celebration of Bill’s life and interment are to be announced at a later date. Special thanks are extended to staff of the VG’s Palliative Care unit for their compassionate care. Donations may be made in Bill’s memory to the Canadian Cancer Society, Plan Canada, or Amnesty International.