J. William Horsey Library name will continue
J. William Horsey, Chairman of the Board of Governors of Toronto Bible College (TBC) in the 1960s and namesake of Tyndale’s library, was a business man who believed in strong biblical values. “True leadership calls for personal sacrifice, courage and faith,” he said in an address to Toronto’s Board of Trade Club. “The greatest leadership we have known or shall ever know is triumphantly expressed in Christ our Lord.” As a Christian businessman, he was very successful and had a deep devotional life. In 1938, he became President of Dominion Stores. He served on numerous corporate boards as Chairman and Director.
He taught his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to “conduct oneself with honour and integrity, in a way that can help set an example.” Grant Dees, one of his great-grandchildren, spoke of the values and teachings that were instilled in his family by William Horsey: “There was a lot of guidance and discipline in terms of schoolwork and any pursuits outside of school, such as music or sports,” he explained. “We were always encouraged to take those opportunities. Education was always an important feature we discussed at home. Education empowers, and if you have integrity and self-discipline and take the education, you can make something big out of it.”
On February 23, 2015, the Horsey family, Ling family and members of the Tyndale community held a reception at the Bayview campus to reveal the Bayview campus library’s name. His three grandchildren, John Thompson, former president of IBM Canada, Susan Dees, president of the J. William Horsey Foundation, and Jill Clark, as well as several great-grandchildren attended. Guests were treated to a retelling of William’s life by John Thompson, who reiterated that his grandfather’s commitment to hard work, faith and giving of time and resources to the community were values that they were raised on. These values are increasingly important in today’s culture.
Tyndale’s President, Dr. Gary Nelson, couldn’t agree more. “The compelling reason for Tyndale to have named spaces on the new Bayview campus is to honour and showcase those whose lives demonstrate the values we hold as an institution and to be bright examples to generations of students who will study in those spaces. The Horsey family exemplifies this.”
On behalf of his entire family, John expressed deep appreciation for the partnership with the Ling family to ensure the name of the Tyndale library will remain as the J. William Horsey Library.
The Horsey family is a prominent part of Tyndale’s history. J. William Horsey served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of TBC from 1964 until his death in 1968. Under his leadership, TBC expanded and merged with London College of Bible and Missions (LCBM) to become Ontario Bible College (OBC), now Tyndale University College & Seminary. On his golden wedding anniversary in 1964, he established the Clara Banford Horsey Library Fund at the college in honour of his wife. Then in 1966, he donated the library which was later moved from Spadina Road to the campus on Ballyconnor Court. The library provided a dedicated learning space and room to build a growing literary collection, which was necessary for accreditation.
J. William Horsey believed that young people need help, encouragement and guidance. He encouraged learning, and this desire was reflected in his efforts for educational causes at OBC and the University of Western Ontario and as a member of the Board of Governors of York University. He served actively with many Christian organizations, including Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship and Yonge Street Mission.
We are honoured and grateful for J. William Horsey's part in Tyndale's history and his family's continued support.