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
36 Responses
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
Dear Thelma.
Sorry to hear of your lose, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
May God Bless.
Love Sadie.
Dear Thelma and family,
Sincere condolences on the passing of Tom. My thoughts and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
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.
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 Bless
Ben Murdock
Edmonton, Ab
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
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
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
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.
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.