A tribute to Bill Booton – Draft 3 – 10/12/21
 
Bill’s early life was spent at Notley Farm, where his parents Walter and Jean ran a smallholding.  Days were spent playing in the fields, wrestling with his mates, and punishing his younger brother Derek and tormenting his sisters Clare and Lorna.
 
His childhood exploits were not without consequence, mainly due to fire or fireworks.  Bill along with best friend John Gibson set fire to a tinder dry field at the farm whilst the family were attending a wedding, upon their return, there were rather two sheepish blackened boys and two fire engines!  The 5th of November became a special night in the family calendar, each year a huge bonfire was constructed, and a legendary outdoor party followed with homemade wine.
 
During his teens, encouraged by his grandfather to explore all things mechanical, Bill began with old scooters, Lambrettas and Vespas, he was even given a barn as a workshop and allowed to develop his off-road skills in a field, many memories and stories were made with his sisters, brother, neighbours, and friends.  His love of scooters and cars never left him, and throughout his life he enjoyed working on succession of cars, more recently his beloved Porche.
 
Fond family holidays were taken to visit the French cousins, Kathy, Sue, Shirley, and Monica, firstly to Old Park Farm in Sussex then to Henford in Devon.  Bill loved working with his aunty Frances and uncle Tom on their farms and throughout the years the cousins have maintained contact and have some wonderful stories to be shared.
 
Bill was always a worker, beginning with his newspaper round at the age of 11, pedalling into the village to collect his papers whatever the weather.  He attended Hinckley Grammar School, and upon finishing his exam, he couldn’t wait to start work as an apprentice mechanic.  After Bill had passed his City and Guilds exams, he refined his skills to quickly dismantle and rebuild engines.
 
Always loving the outdoors, Bill went on to work for Farmer, George Hill in Peckleton and often told the tale of how he was struck by lightning not once but twice!
 
 
 His next work-related experience was with Richard Fray, Bill Laing and Rod Lane in the Fumigation trade, assisted on occasions by his brother Derek.
 
The work was hard manual labour, handling some offensive chemicals, they would often be found crawling around under polythene sheets in the dirt and heat.  Bill never complained, instead he loved to recall all the stories of the many antics and exploits of their times together, especially the time they laughed so hard they could hardly take a breath.
 
When an opportunity arose, the team were employed by the MOD to fumigate Gruinard Island off the Scottish Coast.  During the second world war the British Government had carried out biological warfare tests using Anthrax spores.  In 1986 decontamination started, Bill along with other men wore full protective clothing and sprayed 280 tonnes of solution over all 196 hectares of the island.  Four years later the island was announced to be safe, and Bill came back with yet more amazing stories of his adventures, in particular his trips in the helicopters.
 
Eventually he set up his own business, “Millhouse Fumigations” firstly with Richard Fray, then when Richard retired, Bill had the pleasure of working alongside his good friend Mick Dakin, as the company wound down. 
 
1981, Bill took a solo trip of a lifetime to Australia after hearing about his grandfather’s adventures back in 1921.  Off he went to visit his second cousins Jill and Don, and after a lengthy stay in Melbourne he embarked alone on the drive North through the snowy mountains to Brisbane. Returning home to Barwell, he found the family had turned his bedroom upside down, furniture suspended from the ceiling, in celebration.
 
Meeting the love of his life Rosemary in May 1993, love soon blossomed, they lived together for a short time in Ravenstone, until Bill and Rosemary found their dream home in April 1995.  When the couple took their first viewing of the beautiful Manor House Cottage, Bill took a sharp intake of breath and knew instantly, that it would be the perfect place to create an idyllic family home and indeed that is what he made it.
 
So very proud of where he lived, he was one of those people who could turn his hand to anything, such a practical man, skills he inherited from his father.  He built Richard a treehouse with a swing, a new porch and conservatory, new bathrooms. In the early years Bill and Rosemary produced a paddock full of Strawberries and Raspberries for the local community to come and pick their own. 
 
This was hard work for the family, but  with the addition of daughter Kelsi, and along with their dog Tilly they all enjoyed being part of local village life.
 
 
This enjoyment was extended further when Bill and Rosemary joined a group of local couples involved in the Millennium Garden Project, to relandscape the gardens at Griffydam Primary School, where Richard was a pupil. It was here that Bill and Rosemary made some treasured long-lasting friendships.
 
 
 
Married in 1998, Bill and Rosemary shared a passion for travel, taking memorable family holidays to various destinations including the Greek Islands, especially Kefalonia. Sometimes going with friends Mick and Ina and their children, or sharing holidays both at home and abroad with the Rees Family
 
The hire of the holiday car was always legendary when Bill organised them.  Many times, he would come back to announce he had hired a cabriolet when in fact it was a 2CV with a roll back roof or a tiny Fiat Punto.  Caught out in the rain once in Greece 8 people managed to squeeze into the car! 
 
In recent years Portugal became another of his favourite destinations, with fond stories recited when Bill got back home.
 
One very special adventure was when Rosemary, Bill, and Kelsi travelled to Southeast Asia, firstly to Singapore, then to Miri in Borneo visiting the various places where Rosemary had once worked and had talked of often. They swam under waterfalls, walked through jungle paths and viewed Mount Kinabalu, which Rosemary had once climbed.  Bill was so enthralled by this trip, as he could picture the places that were so very special to Rosemary.
 
When he was in his early 20’s Bill was proud to have obtained his private pilot’s license, which developed into a huge interest in aircraft and the history of World War I & II.  He was knowledgeable about the technicalities and specifications of the different aircraft.  This passion was passed onto Richard, making air fix models together and often debating war films and how they would get all the details wrong.   Bill had huge respect for the sacrifices made in the wars, his visit to France and Belgium including the Tyne Cot Memorial left a profound lasting impression on him.   
 
 
Bill had a great sense of humour with a mischievous glint in his eye. He had a gift for telling stories, including the special ones he made up for Richard and Kelsi. He would take everyday situations and re-tell them in his own unique way, it gave him huge pleasure to make people laugh. Everyone here will have been part of a story he created and retold - this was the very essence of him.
 
Bill was forever grateful for the loyal support from Rosemary, his family and friends fighting so hard to obtain the best care for him, and he himself dealt with his chronic illness over the last 10 years with sheer strength and determination. So it is with great sadness that Bill lost his final battle, poignantly on remembrance Sunday, 14th November aged 68 years. 
  Bill was kind, considerate, hardworking, and loyal. Above all he was simply a GOOD man he will be sorely missed.