Surrounded by the love of his family, Thomas passed peacefully on December 5, 2018. He will be lovingly remembered by his children, Tracey (Drew), Jaclyn (Mike), Malcolm, and their mother, Theresa. He was a cherished grandfather to Morgan, Cameron, Tegan, Logan, and Quinn and a proud uncle to many nieces and nephews. Thomas will be dearly missed by his sisters, Margaret (dec. James) and Isabel (Andrew). Thomas was predeceased by his beloved parents, William and Isabella (nee Cunningham).

A celebration of life will be held between 3-5 pm, on Monday, December 10, at York Funeral Centre, 160 Beecroft Road, Toronto, M2N 5Z5. If desired, memorial donations may be made to Better Living Health and Community Services; an organization delivering community support services in the Don Mills area.
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This is the story of our Dad, Thomas Hill. Thomas was a wonderful man who was loved deeply, is missed, and will always be cherished.

As most of you know, he was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1944. He joined his older sisters Margaret and Isabel as the third child to William and Isabella. He adored his sisters and never laughed harder than with them. From the stories he would tell us growing up, they led a lovely life. He often reminisced about dodging punishment from his Mum and conspiring with his Dad. After his parents passed, we always got the sense that he felt their absence much more than he let on.

Our Dad married our Mum, Theresa in 1968 and shortly thereafter they had their first born, a baby girl named Tracey. Naturally, this new little family made him want for more and with the promise of greater opportunity; he left his life in Scotland and made a home in Canada.

Our Dad loved Canada and immediately embraced this country. He would religiously watch the Toronto Blue Jays in the summer and the Toronto Maple Leafs in the winter, all while drinking his Molson Export beer. He would attempt to add the occasional “eh” at the end of sentences, which oddly had him sounding more Jamaican than Canadian. He really did immerse himself in the culture, and even had some Canadians of his very own.

His first two Canadians were twin girls who passed away shortly after their birth. He never spoke of that time in his life, but we all knew he thought of them often and carried them carefully in his heart.

In 1980, he welcomed another daughter named Jaclyn and in 1983 he had his first and only son, Malcolm. We mention his family so much because that was what our Dad was about. He emigrated for his family, he worked for his family and in the end he turned to his family.

Our Dad made a career for himself in the automotive business and truly loved what he did. In what was a fickle, unpredictable industry, he brought integrity and skill and was always very well respected in his jobs. In his spare time, he would check in on his neighbours and even run errands for his fellow senior citizens. He always held a special place in his heart for those in need.

Like all of us, he wasn’t perfect. He could be stubborn and noncommittal. He could drive us all crazy. But he was a good man. He was kind, accepting, honest, and loyal. He often surprised us like when he used Facebook correctly and even the time he added a rainbow pride flag to his profile picture. He may not have known what it was, but we couldn’t have been prouder.

He was happy to add two son-in-laws, Drew and Mike to his family. He loved them deeply and we’re thankful that they treated him as their very own. However, we’re sure the ones he loved the most came in the form of his grandkids; Morgan, Cameron, Tegan, Logan, and Quinn. They all inherited the same kindness and made him extremely proud.

Before our Dad was diagnosed with this illness, we thought we knew him completely. Little did we know how courageous he truly was. He continued to live life with illness and refused to go without a fight.

We’re so grateful to those who have taken their time to honour our Dad; a man who treaded lightly in this world. It means so much to us and would have meant so much to him. We hope that he is home…

Oh, the rhythm of my heart
Is beating like a drum
With the words I love you
Rolling off my tongue
No never will I roam
For I know my place is home
Where the ocean meets the sky
I’ll be sailing