William Mazurkewich November 4, 1933 – May 14, 2021 William Robert Mazurkewich, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2021. He was 87. Born and raised in Fort William, Bill was the middle child in a Ukrainian-Canadian family of 13 children. His family faced the kind of economic struggles we can only imagine today, living in a three-bedroom home on Alexandra Street. Yet Bill (Butts), who came from a family of over-achievers, didn’t let financial shortcomings hold back his career aspirations. He carved out a path as an accountant for Caland Ore in Atikokan, followed by a 15-year stint at Ontario Hydro, all while upgrading his credentials by taking accounting courses and studying law. He loved politics, becoming Treasurer of the Liberal Riding Association in 1966. He told family he stepped aside to let Pat Reid take the liberal nomination for Rainy River District in 1967. He later served seven years as a councillor for the Township of O’Connor. Bill also poured much of his energy into his fraternities: he was Master at the Atikokan Masonic Lodge and joined the Lakehead Shriner Club where he became an avid rider on its Motor Patrol.  Bill married Mary (nee Allen) from Thunder Bay and they had three children, Robert, Karen and Mark in Atikokan. For family, he was a steady presence. He encouraged his children to attend university and spent hours in the basement teaching his daughter Karen to type on his old Underwood and learn to use an accounting ledger. His love of mechanics was passed to his son Robert who to this day spends weekends refurbishing a variety of vehicles.  Some of our fondest memories are our scary ascents with him up the Atikokan ski hill on the dangerous old tow rope; his secret stash of Toffee; and the summers spent at Shebandowan Lake where waterskiing, kerosene-soaked bullrush torches, campfires and Johnny Cash singalongs led by Bill strumming his red Tanglewood electric guitar, are part of family lore. He loved fixing cars, building saunas, driving his motorboat for the waterski gang and “puttering” – his word for home and cottage upkeep. For his extended family of brothers and sisters, he enjoyed hosting huge family reunions on the lake fueled by Labatts 50 and cabbage rolls. Camp was sacred but Bill and Mary embarked on frequent trips. They skied in the Rockies and climbed the Magnetic Hill in the Dodge truck when the kids were young. In later years, they journeyed to Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Hong Kong, China, Bali and Australia. Travelling together was a big part of their marriage.   While family was his rock, hockey was his passion. He played in Whitehorse, Yukon, with his two brothers and joined the “Old Timers” hockey league in Atikokan where he earned the moniker “Mazurk the Terrible” for his frequent forays to the penalty box.  Bill never really retired. After years in service, he joined his son Robert’s company as a “dollar-a-year man,” looking after the books.   Bill passed away peacefully at Hogarth Riverview Manor. He’s now free of all earthly referees, and we imagine he’s enjoying some high-sticking activities in the afterlife.  Bill is survived by his wife Mary, son Robert (and Shelley) Mazurkewich, Karen (and Martin Regg Cohn) and grandchildren Bradley and Matthew Mazurkewich and Haleh and Yasmeen Cohn. Bill is also survived by his brother Dennis, and sisters Irene, Virginia and Olga. He was predeceased by his son Mark and siblings, Ed, Mike, Peter, Stella, Bernice, Gloria and John (Basil), as well as his father Basil and mother Karolina who both moved to Canada from Galicia (Poland) and married in Thunder Bay in 1915. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Westfort Chapel, 420 West Gore Street at James.