William "Bill" Hamblin

William Allen (Bill) Hamblin passed away on Monday, June 5th 2023 in Bracebridge, surrounded by his family, after a short battle with cancer. He was in his 82nd year. He is survived by his loving wife Sharon Learn Hamblin, his daughter Wendy and her partner Chris (Mooney)  and son Brian and his wife Hillary (Kimsal) , grandchildren Kellie McHugh, April McHugh and Alexander Hamblin, step-son Mark Kerswill (Crystal) and step-granddaughter Kayley, sister Anne Quinton (Howard), sister-in-laws Cathy Smith,  Gail Smith, brother-in-laws Max Shire, Howard Smith (Kathy), Harold Smith (Sue), and Lloyd Smith as well as cousins, nieces and nephews and numerous friend in Canada and the United States. He was predeceased by his wife Betty (Smith) who passed away in 1994 after 29 years of marriage, parents Francis and Velma (Matchett), brothers James Hamblin (Carol), Albert Hamblin (Shelagh), brother-in-laws Larry Smith, Donald Smith, Doug Smith, sister-in-laws Barb Shire, June Smith and mother and father-in-law Lawrence and Irene Smith. Bill was born on April 29, 1942 in Kentville, N.S. The family moved to Mimico, ON, in the greater Toronto area  when Bill was very young.  He grew up in the family home, and worked for his father’s knife sharpening business. He met his future wife Betty and they married in 1965. After the birth of Wendy in 1970, they moved to Muskoka and raised their family in Bracebridge. Bill was an active member of the community having served as president of the local Kinsman Club as well as president of Bracebridge Minor Ball Association. He gave countless hours to youth sports, coaching baseball teams at every level from T-ball through to Midget. He was a regular at Jubilee Park (later Peake Fields) with his dog Hobo in tow, watching his son play the game he loved and watching so many young players he coached as kids who shared that love. Bill was a carpenter by trade having built many homes in Bracebridge and surrounding area. He built several homes in McNabb subdivision and Hamblin Dr. bears his name as a testament to that. Later, he worked for the Board of Education and finally as the carpenter at Fenbrook Institution where he retired in 2011. Since his retirement, he has enjoyed spending summers in Muskoka and winters at his home in Lake Waldena Resort near Ocala, Florida. It was there that he met and fell in love again with Sharon. His friends in Florida will remember him fondly playing pool, pitching horseshoe and golfing at Baseline. He was also famous for his sticky buns. Bill will be fondly remembered for his fun loving ways, for his generous gifts of time, passion and love for the sport of Bracebridge softball, as a devout Toronto Blue Jays fan since their inception in 1977, and for all he gave to those who he loved. He will be missed dearly.    In lieu of flowers, in remembrance of Bill memorial donations to Bracebridge Minor Softball Association would be appreciated and can be made through Reynolds Funeral Home 705-645-2257.