On February 3, 2021 Thomas (Tom) Lee of Ottawa and Victoria passed away at the age of 79. Tom was the loving husband of Terry Lee, father of Tanya Lee (John Torrey) and Tom Lee (Heidi Barlow-Lee) and grandfather of Madeline, Celia, Ava and Owen.
Tom was born to Tom and Isabella Lee in December of 1941. He spent his childhood with his mother, grandparents and sisters Sharon and Lorna-Mae on a farm near Barrie, Ontario. Tom attended Barrie Central Collegiate Institute where he met his future wife of nearly 60 years, Terry McKnight. He was a proud member of the Barrie Collegiate band, which he credited with keeping him in school and fostering a lifelong love of music.
Tom was a proud Canadian and had a distinguished career in public service. His passion was the Canadian parks system, working in Ontario and British Columbia before becoming the head of Parks Canada in 1993. In 1998 he was appointed as the first Chief Executive Officer of the newly created Parks Canada Agency. The appointment was the highlight of his career and he attributed the success of the Agency to its talented and dedicated staff. In 2019 he was named an Officer of the Order of Canada for his contributions as a public servant and for his conservation of Canada’s natural resources.
Tom often spoke and wrote movingly about the beauty of Canada. He would describe the “white seagulls on brown farm furrows, stone boats and old coats, barn swallows and pond wallows, red pin cherries, and ripe raspberries” of his childhood farm. He believed that you could hear Canada’s “voices in its nature – a thundering waterfall, the cry of the osprey, the trembling of an aspen.”
With his favourite travelling companion Terry, Tom had the good fortune to travel the world, visiting every continent except Antarctica. They had the pins on a map on their wall to prove it. Tom could mend a canoe, lay a stone wall, tend a vegetable patch, build a playhouse or sundial for his grandchildren, take apart and rebuild a ’51 MG and play the flamenco guitar. He could name trees and wildflowers as he walked. He could tell you when an approaching storm was a tornado. He read widely and thought deeply. He often returned to the great authors of Russian literature.
Tom’s love for his wife spanned his ages. He inspired his children by example, mentored them with his words and supported their choices. He delighted in his grandchildren and his pride in each of them knew no bounds. While no funeral will be held for Tom, we ask you to keep him in your memories. The family will gather privately to celebrate Tom’s life later in the year. Donations in his name may be made to Crohn’s and Colitis Canada, the Nature Conservancy of Canada or a charity of your choice.
Condolences may be offered to the family below.
McCall Gardens
38 Responses
I don’t believe I ever talked with Tom. But I knew him by reputation in the mid 70s when I was moving through the park system in Ontario. He was known as a prodigious worker, who had a vision for where the park system should go and would not leave any rock unturned to achieve that. He commanded the absolute loyalty of those around him and I frequently heard stories of his after work sessions at the Legion bar across the street from the Whitney Block, where he and his followers simply carried on their work day pursuits in another location. Though I prospered greatly through the many other fine people in Parks Branch I regret that I was never able to serve under Tom Lee. My sincerest condolence to you on the loss of such a charismatic figure.
My Condolences to the Lee family. I appreciated being part of the team of Parks Canada management and staff assembled by Tom to develop the legislation package necessary for the establishment of the Parks Canada Agency. I should note that this work went ahead in the face of power outages and road closures. Tom took this challenge in stride, never veering from his primary focus. He set a singular example and will be greatly missed by all of us.
Our family has many wonderful memories from our times at Parks Canada, under Tom’s leadership. I was so fortunate to join the new Agency during it’s infancy. Tom is fondly remembered as a Public Service leader capable of developing numerous Historic Sites and Marine Conservation Areas. In particular, Tom was able to partner with Indigenous leaders to create and conserve multiple National Parks in Canada’s north.
Our fondest memories include front country hikes in Kluane with Tom and Terry.
Terry Perkins CPA
Hi Terry,
Please accept my most heartfelt condolences to you and your family on Tom’s passage.
It was approximately 45 years ago when I first met Tom. He and Bob Mitton were interviewing me for a system planning position in Ontario’s Park Planning Branch. This was my first career position after university and I would have taken the job even without pay, I was so enthused about working in the Planning Branch.
In retrospect, I could not have started out with better people or in a better workplace. Tom was such a positive influence for so many of us in the parks program and the recreation field. His “can do” attitude and his determination and comfort with people from every background and educational level made him a natural leader, and left a lifelong impression on me – he was a remarkable role model for the Park Planning team ….
I didn’t see or speak with Tom frequently over the past few decades, but whenever I did, it seemed like we were instantly transported in time back to our days at the War Amps, or working on the Park Classification document, or at the Branch Christmas party, or a planning retreat…. planning how to stickhandle something through the bureaucracy or the political interface – all the while moving forward to identify and set aside some of the best landscapes in North America for conservation and preservation. The world won’t be quite the same without him in it, and you are not alone in your loss.
Kindest regards,
Bob Beatty
A very thoughtful and gentle man who worked for his vision and lived his principles. Sad to see him go.
We send our love and condolences to you all❤️. I remember growing up down the road from you on Emily Carr Drive and always anticipating with joy occasions where our families would get together – I loved going to your home and Tom always greeted each of us Neilson kids with a warm smile and kindness. He has left this earth with an impressive legacy and family and friends who loved him.
I had the good fortune to work along side of Tom at Heritage Canada. Tom was a very kind and dedicated man who believed in the goodness of people and loved both nature and his job. Tom was a very good man indeed.
Dearest Tom #2 and Heidi, Madeline and Ava – one of my favourite Kiswahili expressions is Mungu akulinde – it means May God hold you – I wish that for all of you now. xxx théa ♥️
To Terry and family
It was deep sadness to learn of Tom’s passing. I had the privilege of working for Tom and meeting you Terry during my Parks Canada years. Dave and I enjoyed wonderful visits and gourmet dinners prepared by Tom ( and you too Terry). We regaled in Tom’s stories about Tanya and Tom junior and grandchildren’s adventures and successes.
Tom has been described as a strong visionary, a true leader and an outstanding public servant. All true, but Tom can I be described without highlighting – that Tom was a gentle man and a gentleman in all circumstances. He will be truly missed.
Céline Gaulin and David Wilson
Carole Dupuis and Richard Têtu
We are sorry to hear of Tom’s passing earlier this week. We remember him as someone proud of what he accomplished at Parks Canada. His unique legacy is indeed reflective of his true commitment to Canada’s nature and the protection of its environment. He was a great neighbor for us over his last years in Ottawa before moving to Victoria. Most sincere condolences to you Terry and your family.