William (Bill) Gerorge Cozens
April 20th, 2012
Bill Cozens went to meet his Lord and Saviour peacefully in his sleep in the very early morning hours of Friday April 20th in Red Deer, Alberta at the age of 85 after a lengthy battle with cancer and related health issues. He embraced life with drive, dedication and an unfailing love for his wife, family and Saviour Jesus Christ. Born in England in 1926, he came to Ontario in 1928. He enlisted in the Merchant Navy in 1943 at the age of 15. At 24 he joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police where he spent 27 years in Ontario and Manitoba. Early in his career he made the decision to become a Christian and follow Jesus. While in the RCMP he had many opportunities to meet and shake hands with dignitaries the likes of Queen Elizabeth II. At the age of 29 he met and married the girl of his dreams, life partner and friend, Rose. Together they had four children for whom they provided a wealth of experiences in camping, ministry, travel and much more. He retired from the RCMP and moved to Red Deer to work in a missionary organization called Christian Service Brigade where he proclaimed the name of Jesus while “Winning and Training Boys for Christ”. During his 13 years of service, he positively influenced many men and boys during weekly events, and on many camping, canoeing and wilderness trips. He retired from CSB only to be consistently involved in his passions of church activities, hunting, golf, gardening, landscaping, and just plain work. The kids gradually married and moved away to have families of their own. Bill and Rose maintained a vivid and caring relationship with their children and extended family during vacations, yearly special events, and daily activities. He was always determined to fix things himself, get the job done, and never give up. He would enjoy paddling along a crystal smooth lake, singing songs by the campfire, and challenging opponents to a boisterous game of cards. He loved to tease as much as he loved being teased. His grand-kids loved playing with him, and we're told are anxious to play with him again in heaven. We love him and will miss him dearly.
Bill is survived by his wife of 55 years, Rose, and 4 children: Brenda, Bill, Dave and Sandy, 13 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews, and brothers and sisters in Christ.
A viewing will take place at Bethany Baptist Church, 3901- 44 Street, Red Deer AB at 10 AM. A Graveside Service will follow for family and close friends at Alto Reste Cemeteries (3.6 km east of 30 Ave on Hwy 11). A Memorial Service will be held at Bethany Baptist Church at 2:00 PM as a celebration of Bill's life. Special thanks to Dr. Odendaal and the Red Deer Hospice Society staff for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Red Deer Hospice Society, 99 Arnot Ave., Red Deer, AB.Messages:
Rose, sorry to hear about Bill's passing. I have many fond memories of working with Bill in CSB. I particularly remember a pastor's canoe trip down the North Saskatchewan River from Nordegg to Rocky Mountain House. He had told me it was a tough river but near the end I was telling him it had been too easy so he said keep right on this last rapid- sure enough we filled the canoe to the gunwales through the Brierlie Rapids. Bridgade Men's conference's, Teepee Pole and Jamborees add to the memories. You may remember us- Rose and I lived in Westridge for 3 years with our 3 kids and had occasion to visit a few times. Bill also sold me several evergreens for our new place in Springbank.
Dear Rose and Family, We are sadden by the news of Bill's passing. Our memories of how he impacted our lives in CSB as our supervisor and more importantly our friend in Christ will not be forgotten. My family is especially grateful for Bill and his role in leading my dad to Jesus Christ in 1984, which will always be a highlight of our partnership with him in ministry and colleague in life. As we share in your time of grieving, we wish to convey our deepest sympathies to you Rose in this difficult time of loss. We pray that God will be that special portion of comfort and peace for you and your family. Bill and Jean Wong (former CSB Staff, British Columbia)
Dear Rose, We were sorry to hear of Bill's passing. We didn't know him well, but he was always a smiling welcoming face when we came to Bethany Baptist Church. May God give you peace and comfort in the coming days.