B.C. family mourns 57-year-old 'man of a million projects' who died of COVID-19

From building earthquake demos for his teaching wife's science class to high-tech robots used bysurgeons, William (Bill)Chernoff had a passion for scienceand technology that was cut short last month by the coronavirus.

And when it came to his projects, the sky was the limit. Hisnext endeavour was tobuild his own two-seaterhelicopter, which his wifeTammie says he'd already starting planning.

"Bill loved to invent different things and there are many contraptions that he created in his machine shop,"saidhis wife of nearly 20 years."He was a man of a million projects."

The 57-year-olddeveloped what seemed to be a minor coughmid-March. Nothing alarming at first, Tammie said.

But a week laterhewas in ICU, where he would battleCOVID-19for 15 days.

It looked like his health was improvingwhen he was moved to acute care on April 7. However, he died the next day.

Zest for adventure

Whether itwas racing cars, snowmobiling orclimbing in the Himalayas, Bill was a risk taker who was always up for a thrill.

His pursuit for newadventures propelled him asan entrepreneur. He builthis own business, Shooting Star Technology, where he designed, manufacturedand marketed instruments for the industrial sector.

Tammie said the twoloved travelling the world together. She was just one year away from retirement asa Chilliwack high school science teacher. The couple planned a longlist of future destinations, including a trip to Alaska and anAfrican Safari.

Family man

Tammie says Bill was a highly intelligent manwho studied physics at the University of Victoria.Tammie's careerasa science teacher made it easy for them to connectwhen they met at a friend's barbecue in 2001.

But she says it washis kindness that ultimately made her fall in love. A year later, they were married.

"He was thelove of my life," she said.

He was "super dad" to Justin and Wade, and there's nothing he wouldn't do for them, said Tammie.

She says he loved his stepsons and enjoyed working with them on countless hands-on projects in his shopthroughout the years. He also adored his nieces and nephews.

Life of the party

Tammie says Bill loved a good prank. He grew up in Chilliwack where he attended Sardis Secondary. A highlight of his grad year was hauling a Volkswagen Beetle onto the school roof.

She says he was also the "life of the party"at home and abroad ontheir travels, where he always made new friends.

Bill was predeceased by his father Larry, whoTammie sayshe greatly missed and spoke of often.

He is survived byhis mother Dale, his stepmother Sue,his sister Jackie and his brother Larry.