Browse the obituary of residing in the province of Colombie britanique for funeral details
Tom was born on May 24, 1930, to Eric McGreer and Vera (Kirby) McGreer in Calgary, Alberta. He passed away on June 7, 2024, at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, B.C. at the age of 94 years.
Tom grew up in Calgary, Alberta, along with his sisters Frances and Marguerite and brother Don. As a youth, he developed his lifelong passions for chess and tennis. He learned to play chess under his mother’s tutelage, fondly recalling her looking over his shoulder and saying “tut tut” to any ill-considered moves. He spent hours perfecting his tennis stroke by hitting the ball against the garage door. He also enjoyed cycling and fondly recalled cycling from Calgary to Banff on his single-speed bicycle.
After completing high school, Tom attended Royal Roads (Victoria), Royal Military College (Kingston), and Queens (Kingston), where he obtained a civil engineering degree. Then he worked for a time in Quebec, polishing his French, before returning to Alberta where he spent most of his career working for the Alberta Department of Transportation, overseeing the building and maintenance of highways and bridges.
While working in Edmonton, Tom met Eileen Quinlan and they married 1958. Tom and Eileen moved around Alberta, living in Red Deer, Edson, Lethbridge, Edmonton, and Peace River, while raising 6 children: David, Kenneth (Ken), Edward (Ted), Gilbert, Nora, and Patrick.
Tom did his best to pass on his love of chess and tennis to his children and grandchildren, with varying levels of success, and was a patient teacher to anyone willing to learn. In the summer, Tom, Eileen, and the family enjoyed camping trips in their tent trailer, including to Waterton Lake, Yellowstone, Jasper, and California. Always active, in the winter Tom, along with various family members, enjoyed badminton, ice skating, and frequent ski trips including trips to Fernie, Silver Summit, Kimberley and Marmot Basin (Jasper). Tom encouraged higher education for his children and grandchildren and supported them in their pursuits.
Not long after retiring, Tom relocated to Victoria where he could play tennis year-round. In addition to tennis, he enjoyed ballroom dancing, ice skating, hiking, brisk walks (few could keep up!), table tennis, bridge, and the occasional game of chess, winning his last chess game at the age of 93. Having decided to learn Spanish, he taught himself by reading Don Quixote with the help of a well-worn Spanish-English dictionary. He also enjoyed listening to classical music (favoring Mozart) and news programs on his ever-present radio. As Tom entered his 90s, his activities tapered off, but he continued to walk twice a day most days right up until May 2024 when he had a bad fall. His regular walking routes took him to Bowker Creek most mornings where he enjoyed counting the ducks.
He always loved meeting people, remembering their names, and always had a friendly greeting for each and every one that he met. In later years, remembering names became greatly challenging for him, but he worked at it with great earnest. Tom was always a warm and welcoming person and was loved very much.
Tom is predeceased by his parents, Eric and Vera McGreer, and siblings Frances, Marguerite, and Don. He is survived by his former wife Eileen Quinlan and will be lovingly remembered by his children: David (Mary), Kenneth (Anna), Edward (Marilyn), Gilbert (Judy), Nora, and Patrick, his grandchildren: Kathleen, Maura, Mathew, Madeleine, Quinn, Rigel, Daniel, Priscilla, Sarah, Sebastian, Molly, and Jack. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren: Marcus, Elizabeth, Enzo, Alfie, and Lucas.
The family wishes to acknowledge the welcoming community provided to him at Shannon Oaks, where he spent his final years, as well as the wonderful care and staff of the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
A celebration of life will be held at 11533-135 St. NW, Edmonton on June 25 at 2:00.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Society or a charity of your choice.
2024
Death notice for the town of: Victoria, Province: Colombie britanique
death notice Thomas Tom D’Arcy MCGREER 2024
obituaries notice Thomas Tom D’Arcy MCGREER 2024
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Thomas Tom D’Arcy MCGREER 2024 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
