In Memory of WilliamCa601

It is with a heavy heart that I am informing the Kingston geocaching community that we have lost one of our own:  WilliamCa601 (Rev. Bill Whiston) passed away yesterday.  This represents a first for us as a community, and I know that we will miss the positive contribution that he brought to our sport.

WilliamCa601 started geocaching in 2008, logging his first find (on my first hide--Trixie's Treasure GC10M8A) on June 17th.  He then logged another 114 finds over the next 18 months.  His last find was Shane49's Bayshore Cache (GC12E1Y) on November 8, 2009.  Anyone who has found that one knows it isn't for the faint of heart. In addition to these cache finds, William actively contributed to the Kingston caching community by his readily identifiable "Billiecan" series of geocache hides.  He placed a total of 8 traditional and 2 multi caches, in some very unique places.  Billiecan030 (GC1DRCB) and Billiecan040 (GC1E7V3) were some of my favourite caches, bringing us to fantastic locations that we could so easily miss, if not for geocaching.

Although I never had the opportunity to meet William in person, I know his daughter and grandchildren through my own kids.  My son Luke made the geocaching connection to WilliamCa601 through one of his friends at school--who turned out to be William's grandson.  The Geocaching community is a small world indeed!

To William's family, please accept our deepest condolences from all of us in the Kingston Geocaching Community.  He was a significant contributor to our sport and community.

You can read the obituary from The Whig Standard here. (You might have to click on "Kingston" the first time you visit the site.)

A special thanks to SKYE53 for bringing this to my attention.