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ARMSTRONG, William 'Bill' Carlyle
“A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats lesser men.”
― Thomas Carlyle
Bill touched the lives of many with his sense of humour, warmth, empathy, curiosity, and gregarious, outgoing nature. A beloved father to David and Catherine, grandpa to Rosie and Mackenzie, brother to Ian, father-in-law to Mark, step-grandpa to Bronte and Gabrielle, and fur-pa to Ella. He was the much-loved partner of the late Nancy Distefano, with whom he shared his later years between Port Stephens and the USA. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Grumpy Bill’ by his family – a name that stuck precisely because he never was – he was a loving friend with an uncanny ability to connect with just about anyone.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Bill later built a life in Eildon, where he became a devoted member of the community. He gave his time generously including as a volunteer ambulance driver and firefighter, serving on sporting committees, as president of school councils, and was a driving force in the development and construction of the Eildon Community Centre.
He led a life of adventure and activity, including his days on the court as a dedicated member of the Eildon Tennis Club, and many Marlay Point overnight yacht races in his great passion – sailing.
He later (partially) retired to beautiful Port Stephens where sailing took him all over the world including USA, Russia, Japan, New Zealand, East Timor, Indonesia, and winning both first place and the wooden spoon in the Darwin to Dili race with David and Mark.
Among Bill’s legendary adventures is the time he and David were shipwrecked en route to Tasmania in the 1980s. They survived on a tin of Milo and a can of VB until a plane spotted them stranded on Little Pasco Island three days later. True to his character, Bill turned hardship into an unforgettable story of resilience, resourcefulness and humour.
From travelling the world with his family, to hosting loved ones on his beautiful deck overlooking the water, Bill embraced every moment. He had a rare gift of building community wherever he found himself, whether lifelong or new friends, he left a lasting mark on all who knew him. As he said himself, “Always the cup of life has been more than half full”.
He will be missed more than words can say.
md5
661b3d4a5f20e16ba99dfd1bb39434d1
date_listed
Date Listed: 12/6/2025
publication
Publication: Herald Sun
other_name
William 'Bill' Carlyle
surname
ARMSTRONG
link_url
https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/death-notices/armstrong-william-bill-carlyle/6305558/
date_range
03/09/1939 - 04/06/2025
text_details
“A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats lesser men.” ― Thomas Carlyle Bill touched the lives of many with his sense of humour, warmth, empathy, curiosity, and gregarious, outgoing nature. A beloved father to David and Catherine, grandpa to Rosie and Mackenzie, brother to Ian, father-in-law to Mark, step-grandpa to Bronte and Gabrielle, and fur-pa to Ella. He was the much-loved partner of the late Nancy Distefano, with whom he shared his later years between Port Stephens and the USA. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Grumpy Bill’ by his family – a name that stuck precisely because he never was – he was a loving friend with an uncanny ability to connect with just about anyone. Born and raised in Melbourne, Bill later built a life in Eildon, where he became a devoted member of the community. He gave his time generously including as a volunteer ambulance driver and firefighter, serving on sporting committees, as president of school councils, and was a driving force in the development and construction of the Eildon Community Centre. He led a life of adventure and activity, including his days on the court as a dedicated member of the Eildon Tennis Club, and many Marlay Point overnight yacht races in his great passion – sailing. He later (partially) retired to beautiful Port Stephens where sailing took him all over the world including USA, Russia, Japan, New Zealand, East Timor, Indonesia, and winning both first place and the wooden spoon in the Darwin to Dili race with David and Mark. Among Bill’s legendary adventures is the time he and David were shipwrecked en route to Tasmania in the 1980s. They survived on a tin of Milo and a can of VB until a plane spotted them stranded on Little Pasco Island three days later. True to his character, Bill turned hardship into an unforgettable story of resilience, resourcefulness and humour. From travelling the world with his family, to hosting loved ones on his beautiful deck overlooking the water, Bill embraced every moment. He had a rare gift of building community wherever he found himself, whether lifelong or new friends, he left a lasting mark on all who knew him. As he said himself, “Always the cup of life has been more than half full”. He will be missed more than words can say.
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title: ARMSTRONG, William 'Bill' Carlyle
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“A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats lesser men.”
― Thomas Carlyle
Bill touched the lives of many with his sense of humour, warmth, empathy, curiosity, and gregarious, outgoing nature. A beloved father to David and Catherine, grandpa to Rosie and Mackenzie, brother to Ian, father-in-law to Mark, step-grandpa to Bronte and Gabrielle, and fur-pa to Ella. He was the much-loved partner of the late Nancy Distefano, with whom he shared his later years between Port Stephens and the USA. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Grumpy Bill’ by his family – a name that stuck precisely because he never was – he was a loving friend with an uncanny ability to connect with just about anyone.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Bill later built a life in Eildon, where he became a devoted member of the community. He gave his time generously including as a volunteer ambulance driver and firefighter, serving on sporting committees, as president of school councils, and was a driving force in the development and construction of the Eildon Community Centre.
He led a life of adventure and activity, including his days on the court as a dedicated member of the Eildon Tennis Club, and many Marlay Point overnight yacht races in his great passion – sailing.
He later (partially) retired to beautiful Port Stephens where sailing took him all over the world including USA, Russia, Japan, New Zealand, East Timor, Indonesia, and winning both first place and the wooden spoon in the Darwin to Dili race with David and Mark.
Among Bill’s legendary adventures is the time he and David were shipwrecked en route to Tasmania in the 1980s. They survived on a tin of Milo and a can of VB until a plane spotted them stranded on Little Pasco Island three days later. True to his character, Bill turned hardship into an unforgettable story of resilience, resourcefulness and humour.
From travelling the world with his family, to hosting loved ones on his beautiful deck overlooking the water, Bill embraced every moment. He had a rare gift of building community wherever he found himself, whether lifelong or new friends, he left a lasting mark on all who knew him. As he said himself, “Always the cup of life has been more than half full”.
He will be missed more than words can say.
category:
md5: 661b3d4a5f20e16ba99dfd1bb39434d1
date_listed: Date Listed: 12/6/2025
location:
publication: Publication: Herald Sun
image_source:
other_name: William 'Bill' Carlyle
surname: ARMSTRONG
link_url: https://www.mytributes.com.au/notice/death-notices/armstrong-william-bill-carlyle/6305558/
date_range: 03/09/1939 - 04/06/2025
text_details: “A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats lesser men.” ― Thomas Carlyle Bill touched the lives of many with his sense of humour, warmth, empathy, curiosity, and gregarious, outgoing nature. A beloved father to David and Catherine, grandpa to Rosie and Mackenzie, brother to Ian, father-in-law to Mark, step-grandpa to Bronte and Gabrielle, and fur-pa to Ella. He was the much-loved partner of the late Nancy Distefano, with whom he shared his later years between Port Stephens and the USA. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Grumpy Bill’ by his family – a name that stuck precisely because he never was – he was a loving friend with an uncanny ability to connect with just about anyone. Born and raised in Melbourne, Bill later built a life in Eildon, where he became a devoted member of the community. He gave his time generously including as a volunteer ambulance driver and firefighter, serving on sporting committees, as president of school councils, and was a driving force in the development and construction of the Eildon Community Centre. He led a life of adventure and activity, including his days on the court as a dedicated member of the Eildon Tennis Club, and many Marlay Point overnight yacht races in his great passion – sailing. He later (partially) retired to beautiful Port Stephens where sailing took him all over the world including USA, Russia, Japan, New Zealand, East Timor, Indonesia, and winning both first place and the wooden spoon in the Darwin to Dili race with David and Mark. Among Bill’s legendary adventures is the time he and David were shipwrecked en route to Tasmania in the 1980s. They survived on a tin of Milo and a can of VB until a plane spotted them stranded on Little Pasco Island three days later. True to his character, Bill turned hardship into an unforgettable story of resilience, resourcefulness and humour. From travelling the world with his family, to hosting loved ones on his beautiful deck overlooking the water, Bill embraced every moment. He had a rare gift of building community wherever he found himself, whether lifelong or new friends, he left a lasting mark on all who knew him. As he said himself, “Always the cup of life has been more than half full”. He will be missed more than words can say.
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