Obituary of Arthur Tooms

Arthur (Art) Tooms, beloved husband of Suzanne (Susie) of Calgary, passed away at the Foothills Hospital on Tuesday, December 30, 2003 at the age of 77 years. Arthur was born the youngest of ten children in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, U.K. He joined the Royal Navy as a telegraphist air gunner as a young man, and after WWII, transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy. His travels led him to meeting U.S.-born Susie and after they married, the family was posted in Barrie ON, Alabama, Victoria, BC, Thunder Bay, ON, and Halifax, NS. Arthur served as a Navy diver and air traffic controller and was appointed Lieutenant-Commander in 1961. He served as Executive Officer aboard the HMCS Stettler and was the Squadron Administrative Officer for the seventh Escort Squadron aboard the HMCS Assiniboine. He was also Staff Officer of the Thunder Bay Naval Reserve Base HMCS Griffon, Honorary Aide de Camp to Governors General Leger and Mitchener, and served as the head of the Navy NBCD School in Halifax. When Arthur retired from the Navy, he and his family returned to Thunder Bay, ON where he became Commanding Officer of HMCS Griffon. Arthur served his native and adopted countries with dedication and dignity in both peace and war. After leaving the Navy, his first post-Navy position was as manager of the Fort William Country Club. He then went on to sixteen years as Executive Director of the Lakehead Association for Community Living where his leadership expanded the region’s services and programs for its specially challenged clients, always with each individual’s needs as top priority. Besides his loving wife of forty-seven years, Arthur is survived by a son and daughter-in-law Brian and Kathryn and their daughter Avery; a sister Vera Atter of New Zealand; a brother and sister-in-law Eric and Winnie Tooms of Market Harborough, Leicestershire, U.K.; as well as nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews. Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Chapel of the Bells (2720 Centre Street North), on Wednesday, January 7, 2004 at 3:00 P.M. Graveside Service will be held in the “Field of Honour”, Queen’s Park Cemetery on Thursday, January 8, 2004 at 10:30 A.M. To forward condolences go to www.mcinnisandholloway.com. In living memory of Arthur Tooms, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, CALGARY, TELEPHONE: (403) 276-2296.