Bill was born in Vancouver, BC, in 1933 to Fanny and Joseph Friend Day. He was predeceased by his ex-wife of 42 years, Joan Day (née Titterington).

He graduated from King Edward High School as well as from UBC, where he earned his BA and MEd degrees. Bill always cherished education. He worked a fulfilling career as an adult educator within educational institutions including the University of Rajasthan, Douglas College, and UBC. He was a driving force in Canadian adult education; his contributions included establishing night school adult high-school equivalency classes during his early years teaching high school in Maple Ridge, developing extension programs to improve basic literacy in rural Rajasthani villages, and working from Douglas College’s foundation as dean of Continuing Education and president. After his retirement from the college, Bill worked as a consultant with Saskatchewan's Wascana community college system and subsequently as a citizenship judge. The impact that Bill had on accessible education in Canada is considerable and valued by his large, loving community. In recognition of his contributions, he was awarded Membership in the Order of Canada and received the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal.

Bill was a great lover of dancing and of listening to a broad range of music, including pop, classical, folk, and world music. He was a multi-instrumentalist who played the ukulele, harmonica, jay harp, and dulcimer with verve and had an often surprising and vast array of songs at his fingertips. In his later career, Bill took great pleasure in taking long rides on his Goldwing motorcycle and completing multi-day rallies, such as the Canada-to-Mexico Three Flags Classic. After he truly retired, Bill volunteered in the Hedley, BC, area, including for the Princeton Folk Festival. When his motorcycling years were behind him, he maintained and operated his beloved Model A Ford pickup truck, Nelly.

Throughout his life, Bill prioritized his connections with friends and family, always ensuring that he maintained contact with old and new friends alike. Bill was beloved by his surviving family members: his three daughters, Alison, Vivian, and Suzanne; his two sons, Michael and Gordon; seven grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great granddaughter. He will be sorely missed by his sister, Ann, and by his cousins.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Granville Gardens for their extraordinary love, kindness, and care over the past three years.