Long-time Langley sports booster William (Bill) Bettles has passed away.
Bettles died on Dec. 26 at the age of 63 at Vancouver General Hospital with his family by his side.
Bettles, a father of three girls, was long involved in community sports.
During his three years as the Township of Langley’s parks and recreation commissioner, he was instrumental in helping raise funds to develop a lighted park for the Aldergrove Men’s Fastpitch League.
Bettles was also the president of the Aldergrove Ringette Association for five years and in 1988, he started the Lower Mainland Ringette League and served as its first president.
He was also a coach and administrator with the Langley Girls Fastpitch Association as well as instrumental in helping create the Langley Girls Ice Hockey Association in 1995.
In 2009, Bettles started and served as general manager of the Fraser Valley Avalanche, who played in the National Ringette League.
Bettles also endowed the Fraser Valley Ringette Association’s Michelle Vandale Memorial annual scholarship award.
And in 2011, Bettles was the recipient of a Community Sport Builder Award from Pacific Sport Fraser Valley for his many accomplishments and contributions to amateur sport.
He is survived by his wife, three daughters and four grandchildren.