ONE of the "giants" of modern tennis in Bermuda died early yesterday morning following a short battle with cancer.

Bill Way Sr. was described as a "visionary" by Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association president David Lambert yesterday. "There is no question he was a giant in the sport of tennis in Bermuda. He always went out his way to help me. He was not only a past president of the BLTA but also the architect of many of the programmes we have in place today. He and his whole family were the 'first family' of tennis in Bermuda. His wife Marge helped organise so many tournaments and all of his children played – some for Bermuda at the Davis Cup and Pan American Games."

Way's wife Marge said yesterday: "Bill was diagnosed with lung cancer – and he never ever smoked. I suppose it was bizarre. The cancer spread to his liver and that is really what brought him down. But he went peacefully which is a blessing. If we had got him out of the hospital he would have had to go through all that morphine and misery. He died very peacefully today. All the kids were there and we were all holding his hand. He went without really knowing about it which gives you a lot of peace – he never suffered. The doctor said if he would have got out (of hospital) he would have gone through a lot of pain."

BLTA chief Lambert said: "Mr. Way has been there (in tennis) forever. We have all grown up having Mr. Way offer advice or support and make decisions. And he was very big on the youth side. He would always say to me 'where are the juniors?' He helped to structure many of the programmes we have today and also helped make the youth programme what it is today. I would say that he was a visionary. He was able to see what could be implemented to assist with the future of the game. A very large part of the Bermuda community knew who Billy Way Sr. was and what he accomplished.

"We are losing some real giants of the game – Leslie Lynch died recently and he was a past president and also Sammy Wilson just died and he was a big part of tennis in Bermuda – a big supporter of the game."

Marge Way said they came to Bermuda in 1960 from the United States. "He was the manager of the NASA tracking station. When we came in 1960 it was breaking ground – it wasn't even built – he broke the ground, built it and ran it.

"Everyone loved him. He also played rugby for 10 years and played for Bermuda and he was president of the BLTA for a few years but he also went with the Davis Cup players throughout the Caribbean."

It was really after arriving in Bermuda that Way took up the game of tennis.

"Tennis was something he took up later in life but it was really about the kids. That was why we got so involved – myself included running so many tournaments for 30 years. I guess one of the best parts of it all was that we were so involved with the Tennis Stadium – all those guys down there were terrific and that is the kind of thing that makes you really get involved with a country."

Way had seven children – all who played tennis – Kevin, Michael, Kelly, Brian, Margaret. Sadly two children, Katherine and Billy, died in accidents some time ago.

Lambert said: "I used to call Mr. Way on several occasions when decisions had to be made. Mr. Way had the history behind him and always wanted to know the facts and statistics. He wasn't interested in rumours and what someone said. He also took notes in whatever meeting he was in. He could always go back to those notes – he was always on the ball.

"He was a founding member of the BLTA and on behalf of the board of the directors of the BLTA and all of its members I offer our condolences to the family of Bill Way Sr.

"Personally he offered me a tremendous amount of advice and support and assisted in making decision that helped the sport grow to what it is today. The whole family played tennis – I suppose they were the main tennis family in Bermuda for many, many years. I remember Mr. Way telling me that it was important for kids to get lessons but it was more important to get them out there on the court and just play. He really helped the BLTA to focus on the juniors. And of course Billy Jr. and Michael played for Bermuda in the first Davis Cup in the Dominican Republic in 1995 and also at the 1991 Pan American Games."

Way was 73 when he died yesterday and was born in Philadelphia.

His funeral will be on Tuesday at St. Theresa's in Hamilton starting at 2.30 p.m.