Obituary of George Bernard Thomson

 

George Bernard Thomson October 9, 1929 - August 9, 2024. 

 

Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, October 13, 2024 at 2PM at Radisson Kingswood Hotel, Hanwell. There will be a short ceremony at 2PM, followed by refreshments and visitation (approximately 2:30 - 4PM). We look forward to honouring and celebrating Dad with friends and family. Out of town guests can arrange accommodation at the Radisson at preferred rates, on request.

 

Daughters Jennifer Thomson (Wayne Green) and Sherry Thomson (Marc Chenard), together with their families, are heartbroken to announce their precious Dad’s passing at Hospice House in Fredericton.

 

Dad was born in Ste. Anne de Beaupre, Québec, the youngest of five children, all boys (one of whom died as a toddler), of Bernice Ruby (Allen) Thomson of Penniac, New Brunswick and William Wilkie Thomson of Markinch, Scotland. Most of Dad’s childhood was spent in Bathurst. 

 

Dad was ten years old when the Second World War struck, wreaking massive impact not only on the world but on Dad’s family. All three older brothers went off to war: Jack to the Army, Billy to the Airforce and Allen to the Navy. He told us he would have enlisted as well but was too young.  He spent some time with his mother at their home in Nashwaak Village, and some time living in a boarding house with his Dad who was working at the Bathurst paper mill. 

 

Jack and Allen returned but big brother F.O. Billy Thomson did not, having perished on a flying mission in Pakistan, where his grave remains. For all the years of his life, Dad cherished his family’s military contributions, including his father who fought and was wounded in World War I. Dad never missed a November 11 cenotaph ceremony. Rain or shine, snow or sleet, he honoured his family’s veterans with the laying of a wreath.  The formal ceremony was followed by a ritual at the gravesite of his parents and brothers, where there was a toast to his lost family members and a sprinkling of scotch on their graves. 

 

As a child of the Great Depression, Dad built lifelong values of frugality overlaid with generosity and kindness, even, or especially when there was little to share. He appreciated everything he had. 

 

As a young man, Dad found himself working in Fredericton where he met the love of his life, June Moriarity. Soon the two married and settled in Saint John. Jennifer was born three years later and shortly afterwards, in 1960, they moved to Fredericton and purchased their home on MacLaren Avenue, from which they never moved.  Sherry arrived to complete the family. 

 

Dad’s whole world revolved around his “three girls”. He was endlessly supportive of our every endeavour, proud of our every achievement and quick to brush off any setbacks. Always humble, he stayed in the background but he was our anchor.

 

As grandchildren came along, Jennifer’s kids Laura, Alexander, Bradley and Byron MacDonald, followed by Sherry’s kids Patrick and Geoffrey Chenard, Dad’s gentler side really came out. He had endless love and patience for his grandchildren, loved playing with them, chatting with them, following the paths of their lives with keen interest. They all grew up cherishing their special times spent with Grampy. 

 

For most of his career, Dad did parts inventory management for LaHave Equipment Ltd. He was widely respected by colleagues, employees and customers.

 

The loss of Mom in 2005 rocked Dad’s world. As he recovered, his adult relationships with Sherry and Jennifer deepened. Likewise with Marc, Sherry’s husband who truly was like a son. Eventually he was comforted by a warm friendship with Maxine Coyle, who remained an important friend through the remainder of his life. 

 

Dad loved food and always cleaned his plate. He could fix just about anything and loved to find ingenious ways to Jerry rig solutions to challenges. There was hardly anything that he couldn’t repair or build. He renovated his house and built a cottage on the Nashwaak where many cherished family memories were made, adding on as the family grew. His greatest joy was time spent with family, better yet, helping them out. 

 

He loved to dance and to sing. He was physically strong yet always gentle. He valued his strength and his mobility. He exercised daily and took the best possible care of his health. He was known to be unfailingly honest, fair, humble, kind, hard working and a true gentleman.

 

To the very end, he fought for more life and he fought valiantly. He would never have willingly left us. We will love and miss this exceptional human forever. We were beyond privileged to call him Dad. 

 

Dad’s dual mantras of love, acceptance and grace will stay with us always:  “Love is actions, not just words,” and, “It is what it is.” 

 

We will take time to grieve privately and will announce a Celebration of Life at a later date. For those wishing to honour Dad, do something quietly kind in his memory. 

 

If you wish to make donation, we suggest Hospice House, Fredericton, where our family received such compassionate comfort and care. We acknowledge also with gratitude, the care Dad received at the DECH and from the Palliative Care team and Extramural healthcare providers. Personal condolences may be offered through www.yorkfh.com