Thomas Joseph Reilly
elevated 2bQ6B April 28th, 1934 – May 9, 2024
elevated 2bQ6B Visitation
Thursday May 16th, 2024 from 2:00pm- 4:00pm and 6:00pm-8:00pm
Funeral Home Chapel – Assumption Cemetery
6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario L5T1N4
elevated 2bQ6B Funeral Mass
Friday May 17th, 2024 at 10:30am
St. Mary’s Church
66 Main St S, Brampton, ON L6W 2C6
Reception
Friday, May 17, 2024 from 11:30 a.m to 3:00 p.m.
The Alderlea
40 Elizabeth Street South, Brampton, Ontario
elevated 2bQ6B Cremation
elevated 2bQ6B Obituary
elevated 2bQ6B REILLY, Thomas Joseph
April 28, 1934 – May 9, 2024
elevated 2bQ6B With sadness, the family of Thomas Joseph Reilly announce his passing on May 9, 2024 at the age of 90. Tom passed away peacefully with family by his side. Loving father to Philip, Margaret, Anne-Marie, Sarah (David), and Thomas (Lexi). Cherished grandfather to Michael, Caitlin, Ethan, Taylor, Samuel, Rhylie and Avery. Tom is survived by his loving partner Emily Teo and is predeceased by his first wife Sarah Jane Reilly (nee McBride). He will be greatly missed by all his family and his many friends.
elevated 2bQ6B Tom was born and raised in Scotland by his uncles. He emigrated to Canada in 1966 with Sarah and their four young children, and soon thereafter had their fifth child in Canada. They began their life in Canada in Bracebridge where Tom continued his career in teaching, eventually relocating to Brampton, Ontario. A lifelong learner with a curious mind and belief in commitment to others, Tom spent his career in education and in service to the Catholic community, as Director of Education for the Dufferin-Peel Roman Catholic Separate School Board, Executive Director of the Completion Office: Separate Schools, Executive Director of the Ontario Catholic Supervisory Officer’s Association, and General Secretary of the Ontario Conference of Catholic Bishops. Always active in mind and body, he was a kind and gentle man who led by example with humour and humility. In his retirement, he found great joy line-dancing, traveling to see the world, watching his grandchildren grow and making a loving home with Emily.
elevated 2bQ6B Thank you to the doctors, nurses and staff of Headwaters Health Care Centre for the professionalism and kindness shown to Tom and our family.
elevated 2bQ6B Visitation will be held at Assumption Catholic Cemetery – Funeral Home Chapel, 6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga on Thursday, May 16, 2024 from 2pm -4pm and from 6pm-8pm. A funeral mass will take place on Friday, May 17, 2024 at 10:30am at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 66A Main St. South, Brampton. Reception to follow at The Alderlea on Friday May 17, 2024 from 11:30am-3pm at 40 Elizabeth St. South, Brampton..
elevated 2bQ6B If desired, donations in memory of Thomas can be made to Headwaters Health Care Centre
elevated 2bQ6B
Mr Reilly was a serene and generous man. He made a great impression on me particularly with his calm and thoughtful manner.
I was so happy to hear that he discovered a love of dancing in his later years.
He will be missed but always remembered for his many years of service in the community.
My prayers and love to all his family.
The poem “Good Night, And Joy Be Wi’ Ye A’ “ by the Scottish poet Alexander Boswell is about loyalty, courage and community. My favourite line
“Remember, sons, the deeds I’ve done, And in your deeds ‘I’ll live again!”
speaks volumes about the duty and honour offered us to hold the best of Tom out in our lives every day and in that way he lives on in our best deeds.
Here is the complete poem. We miss you and celebrate you, Tom.
Good night, and joy be wi’ ye a’,
Your harmless mirth has cheer’d my heart;
May life’s fell blasts out o’er ye blaw;
In sorrow may ye never part!
My spirit lives, but strength is gone,
The mountain-fires now blaze in vain;
Remember, sons, the deeds I ‘ve done,
And in your deeds I ‘ll live again!
When on yon muir our gallant clan,
Frae boasting foes their banners tore;
Wha shew’d himself a better man,
Or fiercer waved the red claymore?
But when in peace–then mark me there–
When through the glen the wand’rer came,
I gave him of our lordly fare,
I gave him here a welcome hame.
The auld will speak, the young maun hear;
Be cantie, but be gude and leal;
Your ain ills aye hae heart to bear,
Anither’s aye hae heart to feel.
So, ere I set, I ‘ll see ye shine;
I ‘ll see ye triumph ere I fa’;
My parting breath shall boast you mine–
Good night, and joy be wi’ ye a’!
So sorry to hear of your loss Sarah and David. May your memories bring you peace.
Deep Condolences from Kingston Sarah, David and family. We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers. The loss of a parent at any age is a right of passage for we children. Now we inherit the earth so well hewn by our parents and theirs before us. It is up to us and our children to build on their toils.
Phillip Brown and Family
I will miss Tom at our Monday night line dance class. His wit and smile always brightened my day. His support and friendship meant so much to me. My condolences to Emily and his family. Thank you Tom. Rest easy.
Sincere condolences to the family at the loss of Tom. We have good memories of a colleague and friend during Earl and Tom’s years at Dufferin-Peel. Rest in Peace.
My sincerest condolences to the family of Thomas Joseph Reilly, known to me as Mr. Reilly. I will always remember Mr. Reilly for his sincere unwavering dedication to Catholic Education in the province on Ontario. May his soul rest in peace.
Emily, I am so sorry to hear about Tom. He was a gentleman and had a good Scottish sense of humour. He will be sadly missed. My sincere condolences.
Working with Tom at the school was a treasure it was such a pleasure knowing him – always so kind and caring. Our sincerest condolences to Emily and his family.
Tom truly embodied exceptionalism both as a man and as a leader. His dedication to the cause of Catholic Education knew no bounds. His care extended beyond mere infrastructure; it encompassed the welfare of every student and staff member. From him, I gleaned profound lessons on leadership and the ethos of service to others. Without a doubt, he now rests in the rewards of his tireless endeavors. Rest peacefully, Tom.
It is with much sadness to hear of Tom’s passing. Tom was a brilliant communicator whose skills helped the catholic school system navigate some dangerous waters. He will be missed. Tom was one of the good ones
My sincere condolences to Emily and family. I admired Tom, his sense of humour, the kindness he showed everyone and his determination to master a new dance. We will miss you dearly. I feel blessed to have known you. RIP Tom and may God watch over you and your family
I was so grateful for Tom’s presence as the General Secretary of the Ontario Catholic Bishops, for the 5 years I assisted on the Social Affairs Commission. Tom made sure every member and lay assistant of our Commission was well informed and equipped with all the briefings we needed in order to have fruitful conversations about the social issues of the day. He cared deeply about the human beings most affected by poverty, homelessness, labour injustices (including seasonal Migrant workers) , Healthcare gaps, cuts to Social Assistance etc. And he made sure to pass on the most credible sources to ensure we were well informed. For all his professional competence, and efficiency, Tom never lost his personal touch. He had a great memory for the details of the personal lives of people he worked with and always had a kind, humorous, sympathetic, or encouraging word for you. Coming from the same area of Scotland as some of my in-laws, I always felt at home with Tom. He was a calming presence for me in all my initial nervousness to sit at the table with bishops, and a kind welcoming presence to all who entered that office when he was General Secretary. For all of his many roles in life, Tom’s humanity, faith, compassion, humour and goodness shone through strongly. Farewell Tom. “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Sarah and Family
Please accept our heart felt condolences on the loss of your Dad. Its never easy. The memories are so important! Take care!
Mike, Carolann, Michael and Donna Cohen
Emily, just heard today about Tom’s passing, please accept my condolences. I will miss following Tom’s steps at linedancing, when I missed a step I knew I could follow Tom and pick up the dance again. His constant smile will be missed by us all.
Our condolences to Emily and the family. Tom was such a pleasure to know and fun to be around. We had a great time on the cruise dancing our days away at sea with him. His kind caring personality sure shone threw. Prayers of peace and comfort to you all.
Sincere sympathies to the Reilly family.
Tom was a man of integrity, service and attention to others. As a young bishop, he mentored me into a deeper understanding of leadership, always encouraging with wisdom and insight. May he be received into the everlasting tenderness we call God.
My sincere condolences to the family.
Mr. Reilly spent under 2 short years in the early 1970s as principal/teacher at the rural elementary school I attended in the Bracebridge area, but he was one of the most impactful people I’ve been privileged to have had in my life. He encouraged us to “aim high”, introduced us to broader fields of study than the narrow curriculum of the day provided, and was a dedicated and understanding man. He challenged us and helped instill in us a confidence and a belief in ourselves.
It was during his time at our school that, when I was 12 years old, a close teenage cousin of mine was killed in an accident. I will never forget Mr. Reilly’s compassion & care in helping me deal with that loss.
He was known for his no-nonsense but humorous approach to discipline as well. I recall him asking one of the boys who was acting out “How would you like a boot planted in your rear end?” I can still hear his delightful accent.
Over 50 years on, I have never forgotten him, and I will keep him in my prayers.