McIntosh, William James
McIntosh, William James
November 17, 1945 - March 2, 2021
William James McIntosh hid in plain sight under his alias, Jamie McIntosh, for over 75 years. A professional Santa doppelganger, teacher, entertainer, eater of cookie dough and rare steak, died on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Or did he? He's also an actor so keep an eye on those cookies. Big brother to Gill McKeown (Dean), uncle to Jeff, Greg and Andy Beaver, cousin to Jayne (Bruce) Pyenson and Stephen White. Jamie was born in 1945 to parents Margaret and Gordon in Toronto. He lived his life doing what he loved and sharing his love with his family and friends.
Introduced by friends, Jamie's wife, Wendy Robertson, was his soulmate. Their shared love of each other, friends, music, and a price-conscious bottle of wine led to many wonderful memories and dinner parties. Jamie absolutely adored Wendy and the time they shared. Always a nurse and loving wife, Wendy supported Jamie through a difficult journey with Parkinson’s and dementia in his final years. Through it all, their bond unwavering, a true example of their unconditional love. As stepfather to Greg Robertson, they enjoyed many late nights discussing guitars and music.
Another north star for Jamie and a source of his deep pride is his son, Bryan "with a Y", who he entrusted with the family pie serving trowel rather than the typical set of hand-me-down power tools. Jamie may not have been the traditional dad or handyman, but his teachings of kindness, respect, and the Oxford comma were mostly absorbed through constant reminders. Jamie, along with his friend and former spouse, Gail Mitchell, have always been jointly proud of their son. Bryan and wife Linda gave Jamie two amazing grandsons, Cole (7) and Tyler (4). Their "Bompa" never had a chance to show them his skills at Trivial Pursuit, or destroy them in a game of cribbage - but he most importantly did sing the Wee Wee Tot song with them on many occasions. The family theme song will continue its tradition, although it will never sound quite the same.
To his students, he was the high school teacher they remembered so well for his friendly teaching style and exquisite use of humour as he introduced them to everything from the classics to the morning announcements. GCVI, Centennial, and Ross are the schools where he helped mould the next generation of Guelphites. He was daring enough to sing and play his guitar at assemblies, lead the drama club, and coach girls Lacrosse while learning the game. Though notoriously not a fan of marking, it was clear that teaching kids was his passion, and it didn't stop when the bell rang. He remains a well-loved member of Guelph’s community of teachers, many of whom have become lifelong friends.
Jamie loved to volunteer and give back to the community, even after he found out volunteers don't get paid. He performed in many Little Theater productions with almost all of them being great. He also volunteered with the Ontario Veterinary College as it brought together his love of animals, teaching, and free snacks. Many relationships were fostered through these activities and he would want you to know how thankful he was for your friendship. His life was enriched by an incredible number of close friends throughout his life.
Jamie will get his well-deserved Celebration of Life when COVID-19 is over. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you do something nice for someone unexpectedly or make a donation to a Parkinson’s or animal charity of your choice.
In the words of his favourite musician, the inimitable James Taylor, "I can't thank you enough for showing up. It's not the same without you."
