William "Bill" Joseph Canty, Jr.

The family of William Joseph Canty Jr. is mourning his tragic passing on January 4, 2026. Bill was the beloved first born of William Sr. and Janet (Supple) Canty and was
raised in a large loving family that was grounded in strong faith and moral fortitude. Born March 1, 1955, Bill grew up in the Boston area where his family roots were deep.
He then gravitated to the Seattle area planting deep roots there, and eventually settled in Minnesota. Bill took great pride in his 10-acre homestead in Elk River, MN where he
lived, worked and enjoyed many hobbies for the last 35 years. Bill built a successful career in well drilling, which began in 1981 when he earned his degree in Earth & Rock Drilling and Water Well Construction. His dedication and work ethic led him to own and operate AQUA-PLUS, Inc., which he ran from 1995 to 2016 out of Elk River. Bill was very devoted to the subject of best practices for health and safety in our water supply while running well drilling jobs and in his consulting work. Bill was exceptionally well-read on many subjects, he had an insatiable thirst for
knowledge fueled by incredible curiosity. His nose was often in a book, and the diversity of his selections was impressive. Discussions with Bill had the potential to be frustrating because eventually you often had to accept that you didn’t know as much as Bill did on the subject you were discussing. If he didn’t know he would say so, but that wasn’t often the case. 

Bill loved food! Bill learned to cook because he enjoyed really good food. He didn’t just learn the basics, he studied fine cuisine, bought high-end appliances and cooked like a pro for years. Consistent with his New England roots, Bill loved seafood, especially steamed clams and lobsters. In many vacation pictures Bill has a big smile on his face sitting behind a plate of steaming seafood!  Bill loved the great outdoors, where he enjoyed hunting, fishing, shooting, and sailing. Bill bought a camper for travel and made several trips to visit family. He was excitedly
planning his next road trip for the summer of 2026 to visit his family in IL, CA and WA. Behind what sometimes seemed like a gruff exterior laid a kind and deeply sensitive soul in Bill, who was drawn to opportunities to share his good fortune in life with family and friends. His interest was never in passing, he followed through for years. He was a kind and giving soul who could never look past a person in need, even when helping others meant sacrificing his own needs. Bill is survived by his beloved children, Corinne, Jack, and his niece Julie, whom he was deeply proud of and whose accomplishments brought him great joy. He is also survived by his siblings, Jean, Ellen and Ed, his grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and their spouses and children. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his brothers, Bob and Jim.

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