William Creighton Heaney was born Aug. 30, 1923 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve as soon as he turned 19 in 1942. William was the youngest sailor on his ship, spending 1943-1945 on a destroyer running between Halifax and Blackpool, England. He was a leading stoker, and was on the crew which brought the Tribal Class Destroyer HMCS Haida home from Blackpool on her maiden voyage. He wasn’t one for speaking of his wartime experience, but would say it was “the best and the worst” time of his life. He was married to Shirley and they had five children: Sidney, Michael, Kathryn, John, and Willene. W.C. Heaney died Feb. 3, 2008. He was so loved, and is missed. William is the grandfather of Lethbridge resident Liam Nixon.
