Born February 12, 1934, in Stratford, Ontario, Bill was the youngest son of Sydney and Annie Warris and the last surviving member of their seven children. He grew up on the family farm on the outskirts of Stratford and later, on the banks of the Avon River across from the present-day Stratford Festival. He told stories of running alongside a young Alec Guinness as he peddled his bicycle to performances at the original Festival tent theatre.

In the 1950s, Bill worked hard as a mechanic and laborer alongside his father-in-law W.C. (Bill) Kelsey at Kelsey Manufacturing in Delhi, Ontario, and then as foreman for many years at Ram Fertilizer in Courtland, Ontario, supporting his wife and family of six kids in Delhi. Bill rejoined his father-in-law again in the 1980s, where he built and repaired steam boilers, visiting hundreds of tobacco farms throughout southwestern Ontario servicing Kelsey and DeCloet steamers. In later years, he worked with Laidlaw Transport and various trucking firms in Woodstock, Ontario, while living in Tavistock and Delhi, Ontario.

He was predeceased by his second wife of 32 years, Irene Warris (formerly Irene Zehr - Clark) in 2019. He is survived by his first wife, Marion Kelsey, currently of Lethbridge, Alberta (formerly of Delhi, Ontario).

In a delightful surprise to their family, Bill and his first wife, Marion, reunited in 2019 and spent five wonderful years together living at Garden View Lodge in Lethbridge, Alberta, near four of their six children.

Bill is survived by his children: Ron, Russell, Scott (Penny) Warris, and Ruth-Anne Paproski, all of Lethbridge, Alberta, along with Lynda Warris of London, Ontario, and Tim (Dawn) Warris of Port Dover, Ontario. He is also survived by his step-children: Bev (Simone) Zehr of Norwich, Ontario, Donna Zehr of Bradford, Ontario, Gord (Lois) Zehr and Allan (Katrina) Zehr of Delhi, Ontario, Debbie (Brian) Ellwood of Langton, Ontario, Ron Zehr (deceased). He is also survived by many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Bill loved cats and loved a good book. Hugo, the Analog Bookstore cat, would come to the lodge every Sunday after the store closed to spend time with him and Marion. Bill was known as a consummate reader and loved books so much that he had them engraved on his memorial stone. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends.

An Interment of his ashes and Graveside Memorial will be held at a later date at Evergreen Cemetery in Lynedoch, Ontario.