Eric (Bill) William McLean

October 20, 1945 - August 5, 2025

Our family is deeply saddened to announce that Bill McLean passed away on August 5, 2025. 

An aggressive cancer took his life from his loved ones gathered around him.

He will be lovingly remembered by Hanne, his wife of 58 years, his sons Ian (Wes) and Paul (April), and grand-daughter Erin. And he will be profoundly missed by god-daughters Jasmine and Savanah, and his brothers Jack and Dave (Cathy).

Born 1945 in Prince Rupert BC, to Neil and Chris McLean, he later moved to West Vancouver where he graduated in science, then on to Powell River to become a teacher. While there, he was inspired to pursue a career in salmon enhancement.

Starting in Campbell River, home of Roderick Haig-Brown, Bill served for almost 4 decades as a Fisheries Biologist, travelling the length of Vancouver Island, working on the water quality of the hatcheries having a positive impact on the salmon populations and the people he worked with.

In spite of his tremendous dedication, working long hours and travelling for work, Bill never short-changed his family time. Years of camping trips to Long Beach and Manning Park, fishing the Quinsam River and Discovery Passage, cycling the logging roads, canoeing lakes with friends and their kids, family potluck suppers on the weekends, made a lifelong impression on all of us.

Bill was a true student of the universe, from the beginning to the future, from the galaxies to the atom, the history of the earth, the evolution of species from microbes to mammals and humans, civilization and world history.  His great love of all the sciences never conflicted with his spiritual side, and he was always ready to share ideas and discoveries with interested individuals.