Henry Chow, beloved husband of Doreen and father of Matt and Arden, died on October 18, 2024 at Toronto General Hospital at the age of 65, after a 6-month illness with cancer.
Throughout his life, Henry was known for his creativity, quiet generosity, kind spirit, and sense of humour. He will be missed by all who knew him, and he leaves a deep void in the lives of those who loved him best.
Henry was born in Estevan, Saskatchewan on March 30, 1959, the first Chinese-Canadian child to be born in that community. Henry lived most of his life in Toronto, and had especially fond memories of his school days, notably at Lord Dufferin Public School and Jarvis Collegiate. During his school years, he developed lasting interests in chess, swimming, theatre arts, football, and photography. After attending university in Guelph and Ottawa, he returned to Toronto where he and Doreen were married on August 5, 1991, and where they raised their two children.
From a young age, Henry was passionate about wilderness canoeing. He introduced many family and friends to the joys of canoe tripping in Algonquin Provincial Park. Henry and Doreen honeymooned in Algonquin, and later enjoyed many summer vacations camping with Matt, Arden, and close friends in both Algonquin and The Pinery Provincial Park.
Henry worked in a variety of industries and positions. He found great satisfaction in his final role managing the design team at a local marketing firm, where he had the opportunity to do the things he loved most – bringing his entrepreneurial and creative thinking to his daily work, and supporting and encouraging his team to bring out their best.
After an early retirement, Henry pursued another love – fine woodworking. At the time of his death, he was well on his way to creating his dream workshop. He had a special appreciation for hand craftsmanship and vintage tools used for handcrafting.
Henry is survived by his wife, Doreen Hyndman, and children Matthew (Parker) and Arden Chow, his parents Annie and Alex Chow, sister-in-law Janice Brand and nephew Zak Brand, brother Roger (Karen) and family, and a large extended family.
Henry’s life will be honoured at an evening of remembrance and celebration on December 10, 2024. His ashes will be buried at the Toronto Necropolis in a private family service.
Donations in Henry’s memory may be made to The Sashbear Foundation, www.sashbear.org
Funeral Details
Show location:
Celebration of Life
The Black Pony
1481 Gerrard St E. (near Coxwell Avenue), Toronto, ON, CANADA, M4L 2A3
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Tuesday, 10 Dec 2024 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Info: A casual evening to remember Henry and celebrate his life. Drop in any time starting at 7:00 pm on December 10th and share your memories with Doreen, Matt and Arden. There will be a photo slideshow, music and refreshments. There is limited street parking as well as a Green P parking lot behind the cafe. RSVP Doreen (dhyndman@sympatico.ca) to let us know you are coming or with any questions. We look forward to seeing you.