Saturday, August 31, 2024
Mr Boland and Sister Kelly,
My name is Kevin Darnell, Bill and I were best friends and roommates back in Minnesota and again in California.
I met Bill at my friend Brad’s house in Coon Rapids, Mn. A northern suburb of Minneapolis. He showed up with his cousin Tom, also a friend of Brad’s for an afternoon of horse shoes and Beer. Bill had just discharged from the Army, still had the military hair cut, and he and I became fast friends that night! I was 2 years older than Bill and I found him to be the most sociably awkward, goofy, weird and strange person I had ever had the opportunity to meet. He and I hit it off from the start, I can honestly say I was the worst and greatest influence in bills life. When I met him he was a janitor at the Berquist company. One Sunday he came to my place and was in a panic as he had applied for a job within the inspection dept. at work, lied his way into the job, got the job and did not know how to read a micrometer or a dial caliper and so one. I was a tool and die maker and had the knowledge so we went to my shop and that afternoon Bill learned everything he needed to know to walk into by work tje following morning with confidence. Mind you Bill was all those things I said of him earlier, he was also one of the most intelligent human beings I have ever had the pleasure of meeting! He had a great capacity for mathematics as I did also, he and I clicked on so many levels. I eventually broke up with my fiancé and Bill and I became room mates. In 1987 I relocated to Los Angeles and a year later Bill followed. I had taken a job as an executive recruiter and found Bill an excellent position with “Technical Panels Inc.” where he became the Vice President. Bill made a couple more career moves and in 1999 moved back up to Canada. He and I talked on the phone frequently, as a matter of fact I had called him one Sunday afternoon in the fall of 2000 and we watched an entire Viking’s game together while on the phone….. $95.00 for one long distance phone call!
To summarize: I knew Bill since 1985 or 86. He was the My friend and I was his. I’ve never met a more unique, intelligent person in my life. We always talked of visiting one another soon but it was not to be. I’ve trying to het ahold of him for almost a year and today my girlfriend suggested googling his name and obituaries. I can’t believe this! Im devastated by this. My life will never be the same without having Bill to talk to. I could easily write a novel, best selling, with the stories I have.
Mr Boland and Sister Kelly, you have my deepest sympathies. I will forever miss you Bill, you were my friend!!!
