Samuel Carson Whyte August 25, 1934-December 17, 2024

Beloved husband of Elizabeth (Beth). Dear father of Danny, Eleanor and son-in-law Murray Oxby. Very proud grandfather of Lucas Oxby, Callum Oxby, Sarah Whyte Squire, her husband James Squire and great-grandson Ethan Squire. Also survived by his sister Margaret (Peggy) Gwynne. Predeceased by his parents, Samuel Sr. and Eleanor; his brother Robert (Bob); sister-in-law Dorothy; and father- and mother-in-law Hugh and Sarah (Sadie) Thompson.

Sam’s parents, Eleanor Carson and Samuel Whyte, were immigrants from Northern Ireland who met and married in Toronto. Sam was their eldest child, followed by Bob, and then Peggy. The Whytes bought a house near Christie Pits, where the children grew up as typical city kids, playing baseball in summer and hockey in winter, and as they grew older, roaming the city just outside their front door.

At 17, Sam graduated from Central Commerce with honours and began working as a bookkeeper at various companies, eventually settling at Dominion Dairies. Sam was a handsome, sophisticated 25-year-old when Beth (Bette to her Scottish family) Thompson, a skinny 18-year-old, joined the company. They quickly became friends, never running out of things to discuss. Sam thought Beth was a nice kid. Eventually, after a couple of years, he realized that the kid was the love of his life and asked her out. A few months later, they were married. After the births of their two children, they moved to a house in Agincourt, where they lived together for 53 years. Sam completed his accounting degree, one of his proudest accomplishments. He went on to become an executive with a manufacturing company, where he travelled widely and mentored many people.

Time moved on. The children grew up and had children of their own. Life was golden after Sam and Beth retired. They spent time with their grandchildren, travelled, and enjoyed being tourists in their own city.

Sam and Beth were married for 62 years. Anyone married that long who says that they never had any problems is either delusional or lying, and Sam and Beth did have challenging times. But they always remembered where they started from and what mattered to them, friendship, mutual respect, and, as Sam would add, “let’s not forget passion”.

The last year of Sam’s life was difficult. He became more frail, his mobility was limited and his sharp mind was fading. After a fall, he was admitted to hospital in early December. Sam died peacefully on December 17.

The family would like to thank Dr. Jason Fung for his skilled care of Sam over the past few years, as well as Susan and the rest of the nephrology team at Scarborough General Hospital. We also extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who cared for Sam in his final days, including the paramedics, the doctors and nurses in the Emergency Department, and the geriatrics team. We would especially like to thank the nurses on the fourth floor of the Crockford wing at Scarborough General, who treated Sam (and our entire family) with the utmost professionalism and kindness.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Scarborough General Hospital would be appreciated.