WILLIAM BERNARD was a short, bald man, except for "friar tuck" ring of hair, with bushy eyebrows and gold in one of his  front teeth which lit up his face when he flashed his gorgeous smile. He had great strength and stamina and was a workaholic,  blessed with good health and good sight for almost all of his life, apart from a bout of Meningitis as a youngster.

He was a Master Butcher with his own successful business. His first shop was in Nicholson St, East Coburg.  After selling this shop to a man who walked in off the street, he bought another in High Street, St Kilda, where he worked long hours and had many loyal customers. Late in his career, he chopped the top off his ring finger and little finger of his right hand when he attempted to clean the mincer, mistakenly thinking it was switched off.  

Bill developed prostate cancer in March 1990, endured surgery and a course of radiology at Moorabbin Hospital which gave him several more years of reasonable health before he became ill again, and died in 1997.

He was cremated at the Necropolis, following a Requiem Mass at St. Anthony's, Noble Park and his ashes are buried in the memorial garden of the above church.