On May 16, 2026, Rt. Rev. John Christopher Richard Williams, known to us as Chris, passed away in Yellowknife, a few days before his 90th birthday. Chris first joined the Rotary Club in the 1980’s, when he became minister of the Anglican Church in Yellowknife. In 1987 he became Bishop of the Arctic and moved to Iqaluit. When he retired, he returned to Yellowknife and rejoined the Rotary Club of Yellowknife in 2004. He has been an active member ever since.
Chris emigrated from England to Canada in the 1960s as an Anglican missionary and spent his early years in several Arctic communities. He became fluent in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit, and was instrumental in translating the Old Testament with a team of Inuit clergy. He remained active in the Anglican Church taking part in services until earlier this year.
After retirement in 2002, Chris became an active member of the Yellowknife community, taking up competitive swimming and winning gold medals in the Canada 55+ Games. He also performed and volunteered with the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre and was an active member of the Yellowknife Seniors Society. As a dedicated Rotarian, Chris was an enthusiastic volunteer on the construction of the Rotary Park and boardwalk along with many other projects.
We remember his great sense of humour, adding puns whenever possible. He was a dedicated husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and took great pride in the achievements of his grandchildren.
The Rotary Club of Yellowknife sends our most sincere condolences to Rona, Drew Judy and their families. Chris has been a dedicated, longtime Rotary member and it will be hard to imagine our regular projects and activities without his unwavering involvement and support.