William (Bill) Andrew Fraser

William Andrew Fraser – May 14, 1930 – July 17, 2024

William Andrew Fraser (known to all as Bill Fraser), was born in Binscarth, MB and raised in the town of Waskada. He attended Brandon College (now Brandon University), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1951. He immediately began teaching at Coultervale school near Waskada, and thus began his vocation as a schoolteacher. He re-enrolled at Brandon College and earned one of their first Bachelor of Pedagogy degrees in 1953. Continuing his career in Brandon, he met the love of his life, Frances Hope Wells (Fran), an undergraduate student at Brandon College who grew up on a farm near Wellwood, MB. They married on July 11, 1957 and were together for just over 67 years.

The Frasers moved to Neepawa in 1959, just after the birth of their first child. Bill taught at NACI until his retirement in 1985. He mostly taught grade 10-12 math, but also taught courses in law and physics. What drew him to Neepawa initially was the invitation to teach music and band classes at the then relatively new school. Bill and Fran’s other three children were born and raised in Neepawa, and eventually Fran returned to work as a music teacher in the Beautiful Plains School District. Between the two of them they taught generations of Neepawa and area residents.

Bill was very active in the Neepawa community, especially in the congregation of Knox Presbyterian Church, where he served on the Board of Elders for many years. When not teaching, golfing, curling, painting, photographing things, vacationing with family, or taking part in spring and summer arts and music festivals, he spent many a weekend with his five-piece dance band, the Neepawa Variatones, playing at dances, socials, and other events throughout western Manitoba. Bill’s lifelong love for music began early in life, and while he lived in Brandon he played with the Brandon Syncopators, a well-known group there at the time. Bill would go on to write a history of the Syncopators entitled “A Sentimental Journey”, which he published in 1999.

After Bill and Fran both retired, they spent many winters at a second home in the Pine to Palm community in Weslaco, Texas. They had both family members and friends from Manitoba living at Pine to Palm already, but they quickly made life-long friends with people from all over North America who chose to spend winters there.

Bill is predeceased by his parents, William Thomas and Mary Irene (Bond) Fraser, his brother and sister-in-law Gordon and Elsie Fraser, and his brother-in-law Howard Maguire. He is survived by his wife Fran, his sister Carole Maguire, and his four children (and their spouses) Rick Fraser (Anita), Lori Beales (Bruce), Mary Costen (Greg), and Bob Fraser (Ann). He also was blessed with seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at Knox Presbyterian Church, Neepawa, on August 6, 2024 at 11 am.

In lieu of flowers or other gifts, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer Society of Canada.

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