William Horace Biddle (October 25, 1937 ~ December 8, 2023)
It is with great sadness that we announce the world has lost our favorite artist. Born with a paint brush in his hand in 1937, William Biddle (Bill) was raised in Hamilton, Ontario. With his talent quickly discovered, at the age of 14, Bill packed his bags and moved on his own to study drawing and painting at the Art Students League in New York, N.Y. and at the American School of Design.
For 23 years he taught at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Ontario, as well as the Mississauga Visual Arts Centre, the Oakville Art Centre, and taught classes in drawing, acrylics and watercolours at the Dundas Valley School of Art. He continued teaching and working full time right to the end at his gallery located in Dunnville, Ontario where he thoroughly enjoyed the friendships built over the many years and his involvement with Paddles of the Grand. Bill was also known for the many book covers and illustrations featured in the Harlequin romance book series, calendars as well as “Great Moments in Canadian Sports” on display at the Sports History Museum in Vanier City.
When he wasn’t sketching his next project, he could be found working hard (or sleeping) in his garden, watching sports or making mediocre dad jokes. Over his life, he was a man of many activities including skiing, squash, baseball, hockey, running and trying to keep up to his cherished wife, Pamela Price (Pam). He was predeceased by his parents Hazel and Horace Biddle. He will be truly missed by his siblings Lois McKenzie (George), Cliff Biddle (Donna) his loving wife Pam, and his children, Brent Biddle (Liz), Pam Boyter (Darren), Penny Enos (Jim), Stefanie Price (Scott), and Laura Price (Ben). A constant father figure to his adoring grandson, Jeffrey Blayney (Caitlin) and grand daughter Jessica Blayney, as well as a proud grandfather to Alexandra Culp (Jake), Jacqueline Biddle (Michael), Stewart Biddle, Thomas Boyter, Melanie Boyter (Nick), Ali Burtin (Chris), Keith, Donovin, Nick and Ryan and his great grandchildren Violet, Luca, Freya, Naomi, Bodhi, Chandra, and Lucas. Predeceased by great grandson Curtis.
If you asked Bill what he did for a living, he would simply say he painted houses. While he left us with a beautiful portfolio of painted houses to remember him by, he will be deeply missed by his family, friends and students.
Visitation will be held at J.W. Hart funeral Home 113 Lock St. E. Dunnville, On. Thursday December 14th from 2:00 – 4:00 pm and 6:00pm – 8:00pm. Including a short service 6:30pm – 7:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Haldimand War Memorial Hospital Foundation would be greatly appreciated as a thank-you for the care and compassion shown by the staff during this difficult time. Online condolences jwhartfuneralhome.com
So very sorry for your loss hugs and prayers
So sorry for your loss. I have 2 of his beautiful paintings hanging in my living room.
Pam and family, I was saddened to hear of Bill’s passing. May all your great memories together get you through this very difficult time. Prayers and hugs.
Michele
My sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family.
I so admired Bill’s talents. I took lessons from him at one time.. a fantastic teacher. We have one of his paintings which I treasure hanging in our living room. – a ship being tossed in the waves coming through the channel of Port Maitland near the lighthouse. He will be missed.
Our condolences to the entire Biddle family and to Pam whom Bill adored.
We spent hours with Bill and Pam on his veranda and at the restaurants on the lake .
He was the easiest person to talk to as he listened to what one would say to him
The love we feel for him will stay in our hearts forever.
A genius at art, His canvasses amazing. Especially the details.
All the 26 pictures of his we collected over the years, will keep him with us always especially the one he did for Ernie’s birthday
Love
Ernest and Lynda Black
Bill will be truly missed by all that knew him. All his students like my self were impacted by his teaching. I learned a great deal from him and he will live on in my paintings. Everyone that has one of his art works remember him when they look at the picture. Your family will hold him in their hearts for ever. Our sympathy to his whole family .
So sorry for your loss – will be missed by many.
I so enjoyed Bill’s watercolour classes. He gave me back my joy of painting. My deepest condolences.
Pam & Stef:
Sending our love and deepest condolences at this sad time. We know you will miss Bill so very much, but his art and his memory will keep him close to you. His lovely “Camelford Tulip” is a treasure to us.
Leo & Betty
Pam, Steph, Jeff and Katelyn, I am so sorry to hear of Bill passing, he will truly be missed by so many. You got and amazing keepsake to cherish, his amazing portfolio. RIP Bill
Am so sorry to hear !!! What a great inspiring man ..my condolences
Pam and Stef,
So sorry for your loss. Thinking of you both and wishing you comfort.
I was so sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. While I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing him personally, my Mom and I would often stop by his studio in Dunnville to admire his latest work in the window. She always spoke very highly of him as a fellow Dunnvillite and an artist. My condolences to his family, who are no doubt suffering a deep loss.
Long time customer and friend….one of the nice guys. We have one of his works in our dining room that always gets complimented. A great loss to the community and the art world. Lloyd Thomas Value Tire.
So very sorry to hear this sad news. You are in our hearts. Condolences to family and friends. Bill, may you rest in peace 🙏
On behalf of my family (the late Brian Wilkinson) we send to you and your family our deepest and heartfelt condolences. Bill was a gifted artist and we are so honoured to have many of his paintings gracing the walls of our home. Bill will be remembered by many and missed by all.
My deepest condolences to all the family, I am honored to have in my possession an original that Bill painted. I will cherish it and pass it down in my family.
So sorry for your loss. I had the pleasure and great luck to be a student of Bill’s for many years in the 80’s at the DVSA. He was the first REAL artist I took lessons from and learned so much. He could draw anything from any angle as if he could call upon some mysterious CAD system in his mind and transfer the result through his medium. He was a great instructor. RIP Bill.
Pam and Stefanie, my sincere condolences to you on the loss of Bill.
Phyllis Sensabaugh
Our deepest condolences to the family. We will personally miss Bill as a wonderful neighbour. Seeing him cutting his grass and just hanging outside with a nice hello and a big smile. Big hugs to you Pam and family. ox
Seth and I offer our deepest and most sincere condolences for your loss. Canada has lost a talented artist and kind-hearted person. We will always cherish the artistry and beauty of his paintings. We hope the family finds solace in all the wonderful and warm memories you’ve cultivated throughout his life. He will be missed. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. Take comfort in the fact that Bill lived a full and colourful life, and now he’s peacefully resting.
Pam & Stefanie & family, so sorry to hear of Bill’s passing. Our deepest condolences to you at this difficult time. Our time as neighbours wasn’t near long enough. Cherish the great memories & hugs to you all.
Stefanie and Pam,
Sending our most sincere condolences, and wishing you comfort and peace.
Pam, our sincere condolences to you and your family on the passing of Bill. Dan and I were unable to attend the visitation but our thoughts and prayers will be with you during this difficult time.
Brent, Pamela, and Penny; my sincere condolences on the passing of your dad. I have wonderful memories of both him and of the whole family growing up next door to you. I remember your dad as a calm, kind man. And what an illustrious career he had. I am fortunate to have a few of his beautiful pieces and will continue to cherish them.
Our thoughts go out to Pam (Price) and family as well.
Thinking of you all.
Sincerely, Claire & Jim
My deepest sympathies to Brent Biddle son of William Horace Biddle
Please accept my condolences to you Brent and the family.
Farewell to a true gentleman.
So many times I have thought about Bill and how grateful I am for having known him. I was shocked to just discover that he has passed and regret, now not following up on my urge to see him. I worked for Bill for five years as a junior illustrator, and he generously shared everything he could to help me as an artist. We used to travel together on the train from Hamilton to Toronto every day and though I know I drove him crazy with my chatter, but he was a kind and patient mentor and friend through those first years of my career. Bill could draw better than anyone I’ve ever met in my life.
I will treasure his paintings I purchased from him when I was his young employee.
My heart goes out to his whole family, whom I know he loved and cared for more than anything in the world.
Dear Stefanie and the extended Biddle and Price family,
So sorry for your loss. We didn’t have the opportunity to know Bill, but we regret missing out on meeting someone who lived a pretty extraordinary life. Someone who not only was very talented, but also inspired others to become artists, gave back to the community, and cherished his family. We hope those of you who loved and were loved by Bill are sharing happy memories and celebrating a life well-lived.
With sympathy from your cottage neighbours on Lakeview Line, Camilla and Mike
I took a Watercolour class with Bill 2 years ago in his Dunnville studio in between lockdowns. I had known of Bill Biddle for over 40 years. Back then, I started working in a small art studio which photographed his Harlequin Book covers and showed him a small pile of 4 x 5 transparencies of his covers, along with Will Davies’, that I had kept and he seemed to enjoy seeing them again. He did reminisce about those days, which I loved hearing!
I’m so happy I took that opportunity to meet him a couple years ago and learn from him and am just as sad to read that he has passed away.
Please accept my sympathies to the family. I won’t soon forget Bill Biddle!
Pete Malaguti
St Catharines
One of the truly nicest people you will ever meet on the art business…..
Pam so sorry to hear of your Bill’s passing. We will cherish the many times we visited and chatted at your Galleries in Dundas and Dunnville. Taking lesson’s with him in Oakville in 2001 and 2002 was the wisest move I ever made. So thankful to him for sharing his techniques with us step by step. After we finished his classes his words were always PRACTICE just keep practicing. He was so kind and easy going , a good friend (especially of Als’. 2 larger watercolor originals hang proudly in our home) . I remember after one meeting with him in Dunnville that I finally realized ” It’s not how good you are , it’s how you got there.”. He agreed ! Dear Bill I continue to practice every day remembering all your lessons. Our condolences to his whole family, Bill will never be forgotten!!! RIP dear friend
Birgie and Al Ludlow
I just came across his artwork recently and had one of his signed lithographs and was looking into finding information about him and just heard this news. I’m so very sorry. I really enjoyed looking at his artwork. My condolences to his family!