QUADROS, William Ernest
October 21, 2012
Bill Quadros – a long time Bulkley Valley resident passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Sunday morning on the 21st of October, 2012 in the Bulkley Lodge Residential Care home at the age of 88.
Born on November 16, 1923 in San Jose, California, Bill grew up in the orchards of the Santa Clara Valley where his family grew apricots. A Coast Guard veteran of World War II in the Pacific, he married his High School sweetheart, Bee Norris, in April 1945. Completing his University on the G.I. Bill, he first joined Cal Pack the forerunner of Del Monte Foods in San Jose as a Production Supervisor and then moved on to Real Estate sales in the mid 1950’s.
In the mean time, he built a large one level adobe house on 6 acres in the Evergreen Hills above San Jose and had fathered a son and 2 daughters. He was a keen horseman and competed in Team Roping events around the Santa Clara valley, he enjoyed rodeo, hunting and fishing all his life.
Some of his fondest memories as a child were working summers on his Grandmother’s ranch in the Bay Area, where they raised all sorts of animals and the feed to look after them. Thus began his dream of owning a cattle ranch. This dream came true in 1959 when on a vacation road trip to northern B.C. from California; he came across a ranch for sale in the Bulkley Valley. He purchased the old Alex Murray property located at Doughty just northwest of Smithers and moved the family there in Feb. of 1961 and so followed 31 years of farming, ranching and working.
He raised & sold potatoes in the early years, started his original herd of cattle with commercial Herefords, sold farm equipment for Koopman’s, managed Skeena Ranches in the early 1970’s, worked with Pacific Inland Resources and got involved with community affairs.
In 1970 he realized another stepping stone in his dream and that was the purchase of his first pure breed Red Angus Bull and more soon followed establishing the second Red Angus herd in British Columbia. He showed his cattle all over Western Canada and was a big promoter of the breed eventually running a herd of 100 Pure Bred females and bulls.
His community service ranged from serving as President of the Smithers Fall Fair (now the Bulkley Valley Exhibition), to membership in the Smithers Rotary Club, charter membership of the Smithers Golf Club, one of the organizers of the Evelyn 4-H Beef Club, a Director of the B.C. Angus Association, President of the B.V. Cattlemen’s Assoc., and a Director of the B.C. Cattlemen’s Association.
For 14 years beginning in 1963 he was the weekly voice of the “Farm News” on CFBV radio and also contributed farm news to the Interior News. In the late 70’s he became a local Brand Inspector.
Sadly, Bill suffered a stroke in 1992 that left him partially paralyzed, so the ranch was sold and he and his second wife, Helen, moved into Smithers. They spent many years travelling to various points of North America … even out to Nova Scotia… all by RV.
In 1999 the Canadian Angus Association named Bill an Honorary President for his contributions to the Angus breed in Canada. He accepted the award at a special ceremony held in the show ring that year at the Calgary Stampede.
In his later years, Bill was an ardent reader, painter of watercolours and TV sports watcher.
He was a loving father who will be sadly missed by his family. He is survived by wives Bee and Helen, and sister Geri (Frank) Shelley of Santa Cruz, CA
Children… Gary (Rachelle) Quadros of Victoria, Susan (Barry) Drury of Watson Lake, YT and Carolyn (Ken) Neher of Comanche, OK.
Grandchildren… Wesley Quadros of Burnaby, Pamela-Jane Quadros Harnish (Andrew Harnish) of Seattle, WA, Jason Drury of Whistler, Caroline (Cristian) Márkos of Winnipeg, Ashley Haughton of Lethbridge, Cara-Lee Haughton of Kamloops, Raelene Haughton of Swift Current and Jay-Douglas Haughton of Kamloops.
Great-grandchildren… Thea-Jane and Maggie-Jane Harnish of Seattle, WA
The Family would like to thank Drs. Strauss and Haskins and the wonderful nurses & staff at the Bulkley Lodge for their care and attention to Bill over the last few years of his life. Respecting his wishes there will not be a service. A private family interment of ashes will be done in the Smithers Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers could we suggest a donation to the Parkinson Society British Columbia, Toll Free: 1-800-668-3330, info@parkinson.bc.ca