William (Bill) Gerorge Cozens

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.