BURDON, THOMAS HOLLAND – born August 23, 1919, Saint John, New Brunswick, died March 14, 2013, Los Altos Hills, California – Tom/Dad/Grampy passed away peacefully while visiting with his son Tom A. and family. He was surrounded by many of his family in a loving environment during his final voyage. His unique energy, extraordinary wit and life force will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his brother Fred; his children, Dave (Brenda), Linda Cameron (Adrian d’Angelo), Camrose (Cletus Peters), Doug (Sharon Lowe), Tom A. (Eva Weinlander), and Carma; 17 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews. Tom was predeceased by his wife Barbara and his brother Roger. Soon after graduating from Saint John High School Tom took officer training at Royal Roads in Victoria and joined the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve. In World War II he served on corvettes and other ships that were famed for their courageous escorting of Allied convoys through treacherous seas during the Battle of the Atlantic. In 1941 he was part of the escort group for a 52-ship convoy when it was fiercely attacked by a U-Boat wolfpack, losing 11 ships. After the war he had a long career with Zeller’s, first managing the Fredericton store, then moving to Head Office in Montreal and becoming VP Human Resources. He was a loyal company man throughout his career. Tom was regarded as a wise community citizen and served in leadership positions with the Boy Scouts, YMCA, United Way and the Lac St. Francois Xavier Lake Association. His counsel was sought and respected by many from within and outside the family. A lifelong learner and traveler, Tom was passionately curious about the origin of life, all aspects of science, ancient civilizations, general semantics, and the theories of economist Henry George. He was a proud Canadian and a staunch Conservative. He and Barbara created countless treasured memories for many at the fabled “Four Gables” and “The Base”, the family’s lakeside homes in Montfort, Quebec. No one left their home without a sense of renewal, rejuvenation and connection. The gift of these memories will be cherished by all who knew him.
A celebration of Tom’s life will be held in summer 2013. For information, or to share your memories with the family, please contact Dave Burdon daveburdon@telus.net 1-604-534-2419