CWO (Rtd.) Thomas John Holland, CD2, was predeceased by his parents Thomas William Holland (Madoc, ON) and Williamina (Mac) (nee Maclean) (Queens Ferry, Scotland) and 1 brother Richard James Holland (London, ON). Survived by spouse Thelma Agnes Holland (nee Hogan) and 1 brother Gerald Holland; 2 children Debbie M. Holland (Victoria, BC) and Thomas Christopher Holland and spouse Peggy Ann Holland (nee Fowler) (Nasonworth, NB); 4 grandchildren Alma Terry, Thomas James, Richard Neil and Hayley Jeanette, sisters-in-law Donnie Butler, Linda Holland, and brother-in-law Roy Hogan (Barb), many nieces and nephews and cousins across the country. He will be dearly missed by All his extended family and friends.
Tom was a career soldier who served loyally for 42 years. He was an Army Cadet, Air Cadet and Sherman tank driver in the Algonquin Regiment all at the same time. He served in all Battalions of the PPCLI, as well as the Airborne Regiment. He spent 8 years falling out of airplanes as a member of the CFPDT Skyhawks. He served as the RSM of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and the District RSM of BC. He was very involved with the Free Masons and Shriners and was a PDDGM, Scottish 33° Rite and Director of Uniformed Units of the Gizeh Temple.
There will be a Celebration of Tom’s Life at the Seaforth Armoury, 1650 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, on Saturday, October 28, 2017, at 2:00 pm. This will be a joint Military and Masonic Ceremony. The family would like to invite guests to join them afterward for snacks and beverages in the Anderson Room of the Armoury. Please RSVP to taholland@shaw.ca
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriners Hospital Montreal, PQ https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/Locations/canada/About/Ways-to-give or to a charity of your choice.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com
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Ron Eaton
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Michael Hewett Thelma
Tom was a great man. So many tributes to him speak for themselves. He will be sorely missed in Lodge, and I personally will miss his joy in life. My sympathies to you and the rest of Tom’s family.
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Steve Kern I first met RSM Holland when he was Seaforth Highlanders of Canada. We later worked together when he was the BC District RSM and then as the Deputy Parade Marshal for Vancouver’s Rememberance Day ceremonies. When I was the RSM of 744 Com Regiment I would consider what would Tom do in such situations. He was a leader in the many paths he took. His presence at Victory Square in Vancouver for the largest Rememberance Day ceremony outside of Ottawa was always appreciated by all in attendance. Our Parade Marshal debriefs at the BCR Mess were always a great time. We will stand and raise a glass in your honour as you shall be remembered. Stand Easy Chief.
Stephen Kern CD
Parade Marshal
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John Hofman Dear Thelma and Family:
I am saddened to hear of Tom’s passing and wish to pass on my condolences to you and the family. I served with Tom at Parachute Training Wing and have many pleasant memories of the times spent with him. May he rest in peace.
Sincerely,
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Capt (R) Darryl Turner Sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. When he was RSM of the Seaforth I was RSM of the British Columbia Regiment. In later years we served together as Assistant Parade Marshall’s at the Cenotaph in Vancouver. We shall toast his memory after Parade on the 11 Nov. He was one of the goods guys and will be missed. My condolences to the family.
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Mike Ritchie I served with Tom in 1BN PPCLI IN THE’60’S-He was a fine infanteer with a great sense of humor and a outstanding “Patricia’.It was a honor to have served with him. He will be missed!!! M.C.Ritchie-RSM(Ret’d)-1PPCLI–Summerland BC
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Eric Dwyer Dear Thelma and Family
It is with a very heavy heart I write to you. Please except Betty’s and I condolences. Although we did not come from the same Regiment the Airborne brought us together. I had not seen Tom for many years, but I remember fondly the many good times we had. God Bless.Eric&Betty Dwyer
Hopewell Nova Scotia
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Sadie gerhardt Dear Thelma.
Sorry to hear of your lose, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
May God Bless.
Love Sadie.
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Catherine Russell Dear Thelma and family,
Sincere condolences on the passing of Tom. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
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Barry Chamberlain Hi. To Tom’s family. Tom and I served in Delta Company 2CDO. from July 68 to Dec. 71, when I left for 1PPCLI. Tom was a Great guy. I have a lot of great memories of Tom. He will be missed.
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Ben Murdock Ben Murdock
My Sincere Condolences to you Thelma and the family, I knew Tom well back in 2 Commando, in the 70s, he was a great friend and he will be missed by all. God BlessBen Murdock
Edmonton, Ab
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Perry Metaxas Dear Thelma and family,
My deepest sympathy for your loss. Tom was a fine man and an excellent soldier. He has left an indelible mark in many of us. Lest we forget.
With my sincere regards,
Perry Metaxas
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Don and Fran Johnson Dear Thelma;
My condolences and prayers on the loss of Tom. He will be sorely missed by Fran and me.Serving with Tom in the Shriners’ contingent in parades provided me a great opportunity to get to know him. He was a masterful Director of Uniform Units.
Don Johnson, Past Potentate Gizeh Shriners
Fran Johnson
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Bruce Topham Dear Thelma and Family
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time. I have great memories of Tom and the tolerance you put up with our shenanigans while at CABC and the Sky Hawks parachute team. Like the time your PMQ was turned into a hostel for Klondike Mikes’s Donkey for the night, after just a couple of beers at the mess. Or the night your VW was parked inside the Junior Ranks Club so the Meat Heads wouldn’t give us a ticket for double parking outside the Mess. Thelma he was a great friend and soldier with a great, great sense of humor. I will miss him also.
Bruce Topham and Family
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Rob Unger Tom was retired when I arrived at the Seaforths. Regardless, he had an aura about him that commanded respect. A few years later, I became an RSM and my memories of him influenced how I tried to be as an RSM. My sincere condolences.
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Roddy & Cathy MacLeod Dear Thelma & Family, I walk a taller man in life now from all the mentoring that Tom provided to me over the years.
He always told me that anyone over 5’8″ was a “freak”. I told him, if he hadn’t have jumped out of perfectly good planes so many times, he would have been able to look me in the eyes. I have many more numerous little tidbits of our humour and they will be with me forever.
It was my honour to have served under his leadership and I will always think of him with fond memories. He was a good friend for many, many years to both Cathy and me.
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Erik Futrell-Frühling Thelma and Family,
My condolences, he will be missed. Some of my best memories in lodge are of him. I feel privileged to have known him in my brief time in the craft. He was such an inspiration to me as someone to try and emulate. Remembrance Day this year will not be the same without his presence. But I feel assured we will remember and feel him on that day.
Sincerely,
Erik Futrell-Frühling
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Robert Paul Aikens My deepest condolences to Tom’s Family and Friends. Tom was the Team Leader of the 1979 Canadian Forces Parachute Team The Skyhawks when I was fortunate enough to be a team member under his command. It was an honour and a privilege to serve with him, a fine gentleman and an honourable soldier he was…
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Clint McGregor Remember you well Sir, RIP.
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Robert MacDonald CD FSA Scot Mr Holland was an excellent role-model to all ranks. I never, ever saw him make any display of temper (even within the stereotypical role of the Serjeant-Major!) and the only time I heard him raise his voice was on the drill square.
Even so, discipline above and below his appointment was firmly maintained – very often by ourselves as we couldn’t bear to disappoint him.
An excellent leader who will be missed by all who knew him.-Robert MacDonald, Captain, late of the Seaforth Highlanders.
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Jeannette Bergunder Dearest Thelma,
I’m so very sorry for your loss. I have many lovely memories of you and Tom and all those dinners in the Seaforth Sgt’s Mess.
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HLCol Harold A. Skaarup Tom was a fine mentor and a very experienced parachutist. A number of us had the privilege of serving with him on the Canadian Forces Parachute Team, the Sky Hawks. It was an honour to have served with him.
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Charlie True Dear Thelma,
Thelma, truly saddened in hearing the passing of Tom. It was a pleasure to have known him. My deepest sympathy to you and your family.
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Bob Sommer Sad to hear of Tom’s passing. My wife and I have fond memories of him at the Skyhawks in the early eighties. He will be sorely missed.
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Ger4y and Fran Vida. Dear Thelma, please accept our most sincere condolences. Fran and I both have fond memories of Tom and I in particular will miss him as a cherished friend.
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Blair McGregor RSM Holland was a great man, a great Seaforth and a friend. Please accept my deepest condolences on your loss. I have fond memories of Tom and, in particular, our Adventure Training canoe trip on the Yukon River. As we were driving to and from the Yukon Tom kept telling us which towns he had jumped into from perfectly serviceable military aircraft. Thank you for your service and your friendship. You will be greatly missed.
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S Marshall Thelma, Eva and I are so sad to hear of this, even though we haven’t kept in touch we loved him, I looked on him as a big brother. So sorry,
Steve and Eva Marshall
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Anthony Baugh-Alen Aww Thelma sorry to hear I really enjoyed my time with him in the Seaforth he will be greatly missed! God Bless and keep well yourself!
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Wilbur Walrond Dear Lady Thelma and the Holland Family
On behalf of the Gizeh Patrol please accept our deepest Condolences on the passing oyour dear husband and a father, Noble Tom Holland.We were all honoured and privileged to have served under Tom’s direction as Director of Uniformed Units, on numerous occasions in our Shriners’ Parades. It was also a privilege for me to have served together with him as Worshipful Master of our respective Lodges as well as DDGM.s of our respective Districts, under tha late GM Gordon Chalmers.
Those two offices provided me with the opportunity to know more about Tom as an individual and as the wonderful and truly dedicated Freemason and Shriner that he was.
Our Condolences again to the Holland Family and may he now rest in Peace.
Wilbur Walrond
Past Captain, Gizeh Patrol
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Albert Beggs Dear Mrs Holland
My condolences on the passing of a great man, mentor, and a great friend to all who knew him especially me. I will miss his friendly jibes on my choice of the navy over the army as the better service. May he rest in peace.
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Bill Waterman Dear Thelma,
My condolences to you and your family on Tom’s Passing. It was an honour to know him. He, along with yourself was a role model for us all in Freemasonry. He will be missed by all of us.
Sincerely,
Bill Waterman
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Angio Ledesma Dear Thelma and Family,
We offer our sincere condolence to the Holland family on the passing of Tom. We will surely miss him as the first thought that came to mind is the coming coming Remembrance Day where Tom is always present. Tom was also very encouraging to me when I assumed the secretary’s position at our lodge. I will always be grateful to him.
On behalf of his “other family” in Dimasalang Lodge, 196, with our thoughts and prayers, our faith knowing that Tom is in a much better place and may The Grand Architech of the Universe continue to guide and bless us all.
Sincerely,
Bro. Angio Ledesma
Secretary
Dimasalang Lodge, 196
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Greg Tatchell Dear Thelma
You and Tom will be at the forefront of my prayers this week.
Tom reminded me very much of my Father, a positive eyed veteran, with a smile to lighten
the day, and a man who gave so much to society. Tom and you will both be long remembered as role
models, in a society that is sorely in need of them.Blessings to you and your family.
With love
Greg Tatchell
Michiko Tatchell
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Murray Macham Thelma and family. My sincerest sympathy and condolences to you all. Tom was a great Masonic mentor to myself and a man I could make all sorts of time for and enjoyed his company. Although his tour of duty may have ended here I am sure the Grand Lodge above has plans for his organizational skills.
Murray Macham
Past Master Dunbar Lodge No. 118 AFAM
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Norm W. Bruce Thelma & Family;
Very sorry to learn of Tom’s passing and wish to pass on my condolences to you and your family.
It was an honor and pleasure to have known him, and will always cherish the times we shared along the way. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
Sincerely;
Norm W. Bruce
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Charles Buchanan Dear Thelma and Family;
On behalf of Turi and I, our sincerest sympathy and profound condolences on the loss of your husband, father, grandfather and brother.May the blessing of the Great Architect of the Universe be with you all. I am sure that Tom is already organizing a Parade in his new-found home in the celestial mansions above.
Charles Buchanan
Turi Stephens
Dear Thelma & Family
Again I found myself daydreaming, reminiscing of old friends and Tom came into mind.
So by chance I punched it into the computer and thus came to realize the passing of an old friend. Tom and I were best buddies and room mates in the early days of 1 PPCLI. I did have occasion to visit at your home in Coquitlam in ’06. I left the service and lost touch.
I extend to you my heartfelt condolence but I keep the memories of a dear friend.