Obituary of William 'Bill' Spencer Hollo

Tribute to Bill Hollo Before I get started, I’d like to offer my deepest condolences to Bill’s sister Terry Lavergne. Our thoughts and prayers are with you today. We all see people in different ways under a variety of circumstances. I’d like to describe to you how I saw my friend and colleague. I had the distinct pleasure of knowing him for over 36 years on both a personal and professional level. Bill was a “Keep it Real” type of guy with little tolerance for “fluff”. He called things as he saw them and was generous and compassionate to those he felt could use, and deserved, a helping hand or a complement. Through the years I was able to witness Bill at his best and, through his later years, at his worst as he struggled with his health. He was a private, considerate and a humble person who often suffered in silence not wanting to burden others with his issues. He found comfort at Lifetimes where those close to him noticed an improvement in his health and outlook. He was not one to show a lot of emotion but he often said he was fond of the staff and his new friends. Coming from Bill, that was gold. He felt at home there given his circumstances. On behalf of his sister Terry and his friends, I’d like to extend our gratitude to the home for making Bill’s final years as comfortable as was possible. A strong characteristic of Bill’s was that he was analytical and had a nose for value. He was frugal in his spending habits and when he purchased something, you knew it was good quality for a good price. Bill was an avid reader, loved classic movies and, now and then, throwing a few bucks into a slot machine or at a poker table. He had a strong presence of mind and loved a good debate on all kinds of issues both local and global. He was never short of an honest opinion on things whether you wanted to hear them or not. His character suited him for life as a Professional Urban Planner. Professionally: Professionally Bill took his work seriously. He was a long-time and valued member of the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Ontario Professional Planners Institute. He worked in a multitude of settings both urban and rural throughout his career and was a wealth of information to young planners and colleagues. He was an example of how professional planners and public servants should conduct themselves in service to the public. We could all rest assured that when Bill formed an opinion it was based on thorough research. He could debate his positions truthfully and convincingly when challenged whether it was speaking to government officials, developers, Lawyers, community leaders or defending a position before the Ontario Municipal Board. What may have gone unnoticed by many but yet made Bill an exceptional planner was his love of people and the issues they were facing. He loved face time with the public, whether it was with an individual or in a group setting. He’d make it a point to go out for a smoke with people on breaks at community meetings just to get off-line thoughts on issues and possible solutions. He loved the grass roots and wanted to be at “ground zero” when working on planning issues both big, where community impact was huge, and small where impact was confined to a few people. He was an advocate for many urban issues and genuine in his approach. He was insightful at predicting public perception. He appreciated the purpose and effect of his decisions on the average citizen and the environment. He was fair in his judgements and his actions. He worked hard at all of this and it speaks volumes to his character as a professional and a human being. To willing young planners he was a mentor and a confidant. Teaching not only basic skills of the profession but also proper perspectives and attitudes toward serving the public interest in balance with private interests. Bill was true and ethical in his behavior; true to himself and his profession; and ethical in his actions. Conclusion: Bill, you’ve enriched our lives by being present and being the person that you were in life. You will be missed and you will be remembered for how you have touched our lives. Rest in peace my friend …. Until we meet again.