In Memoriam: Bill Teesdale
It is with great shock and sadness I share the news that our friend and colleague Bill Teesdale has passed away. This sudden and unexpected loss will be felt by all members of the Department of Physics as well as throughout CEPS and the rest of campus.
Bill moved to Guelph to pursue his education and graduated from the University of Guelph in 1987 with his Bachelor of Science, majoring in Physics with a minor in Mathematical Science. From 1981-1987 Bill worked as a Student Research Assistant in the Accelerator Laboratories under the direction of Dr. J.L. (Iain) Campbell. Upon completion of his degree Bill began full-time work as a Research Technician for Iain and slowly began taking on departmental IT consulting and security needs as the use of computers grew.
Throughout his working years on campus, Bill was an active member of the USW 4120 and later the PSA. He spent many years and hours serving on a number University committees including, but not limited to, Board of Governors Finance Committee, Senate and Senate Research Board, IT Special Interest Group Steering Committee, Board of Governor’s Pension Committee, selection committee for Human Rights Director, as well as being a member and eventual chair of the University’s Central Radiation Safety Committee.
Bill’s dedication to the Department of Physics was evident by all; he served on many committees and was everyone’s first call when anything went wrong with a computer, relying on his immeasurable knowledge, advice and expertise. He was also a staple organizer of the department golf tournament and corn roasts for many years. While many of us thought of him as our personal dedicated IT help-desk, his participation in active research never ceased and was co-author on over 60 papers cited over 4200 times.
Bill quietly retired from his position of Facility Manager from the Department of Physics on August 31, 2022 after 35 years of service. Post retirement he guided us through “the incident” of fall 2022 and continued to just be an email away when IT problems arose, as well as continuing his position as Accelerator Manager to allow research to continue. His sudden loss is a shock to our community. He was a valued colleague, leader and friend and he will be dearly missed.
Please take the time you need to process this information and reach out if you need to talk. The University’s Employee and Family Assistance Program provides access to counselling 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the Homewood Health and can be reached at 1-800-663-1142.
Memorial
A celebration of life will be held Sunday, February 26, 2023 at The Arboretum, University of Guelph from 2-4pm.
Donations can be made for a memorial tree.