J. William (Bill) Bowick was born and raised in the town of Smiths Falls in Eastern Ontario. He spent most of his working years in Ottawa but for nearly twenty-five years now, he and his wife, Rosemarie, have lived the good life in Sharbot Lake.

Bill holds degrees in Engineering Physics and Applied Mathematics from the University of Waterloo. Most of Bill’s working career was spent with Bell Northern Research (later Nortel Technologies) as a member of Scientific Staff and as a scientific manager. At his retirement, Bill was a senior manager working on management processes related to quality assurance and new product introduction.

Bill was active as a volunteer in a number of areas in Ottawa and, in Sharbot Lake, served on the Villages Beautiful Committee, as President of the Eagle Lake Property Owners Association and co-chair of the first Canadian Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. He has also been active in the Masonic Lodge and served on the executive of the Sharbot Lake Legion.

Bill played a leading role in the early days of the Trans Canada Trail in Ontario and served as President and Executive Director of the Ontario Trails Council. He “retired” from trail work in 2003 but got back into it as chair of Central Frontenac’s Canada 150 Committee. In that role, he hosted the first K&P Trail Day in 2017 and chaired the organizing committee for follow up Trail Days in 2018 and 2019. Plans are now being formulated for a fourth annual in 2020.

Bill and Rosemarie share and cherish a blended family of eight children, eighteen grandchildren and a dog. The children are spread across Ontario, Texas and British Columbia. The dog still lives at home.