Tom Farmer was born September 10, 1924 in Gormley, Ontario to Lois and Percy Farmer.  He had a younger brother, Dr. Ronald Allen Farmer (born in 1932 but sadly died from leukemia in 1988).  Tom’s Mom looked after her sons until she suffered a heart attack in 1939 at age 35, and her sons had to live with relatives.  Tom’s Dad served in the Canadian Army, 1939-1945; post-war his Dad worked for the Federal Gov’t in Unemployment Insurance The family lived in Toronto.

Tom joined the Canadian Navy in 1941 (at age 17), and trained in St. Hyacinthe to become a Morse Code operator to serve in the North Atlantic.  After returning from service, he met Sarah Doris MacAllister through his cousin, and he proposed in 1947, at the West Toronto Train Station.  Doris and Tom married on Sept. 4, 1948.  Children came along – Marianne Grace Nov. 2, 1951 and Bruce Wesley Aug. 10, 1953.  The family lived and worked in Oshawa, Ontario – Tom at General Motors for 25 years and Doris at the Oshawa Clinic.  After retirement in 1985, Tom took a stained glass course (suggested by son Bruce); Dad created  hundreds of beautiful stained glass lamps, ornaments and windows. During Dad’s life his favourite activities included hunting with his dogs (Beagles, Blackie and Bugle), playing the piano and making stained glass.  Dad was a gifted, evangelistic pianist, who played for countless church services.  (Secretly he wanted to be a jazz pianist!) Doris and Tom enjoyed being grandparents to Bruce’s children, Melissa, Matthew and Laura.  They moved to Abbotsford, BC in 1988, where daughter Marianne and her children, Juliesa (father, Robert Beitel & husband, Justin Manning) and Kieran enjoyed having Papa and Nana closeby.  Great granddaughter Sophie Grace arrived Dec. 2022. Tom was the last remaining Uncle to nieces and nephews in Ontario:  the Boyces (Douglas, Gordon (predeceased 2023), Larry & Winna, Ron & Bonnie, David & Kathy), the Popes (Karyn & Keith), the McCanns (Brian & Tina) and the Scanlans (Brenda & Sean).

Tom’s beloved Sarah passed away May 21, 2010. While visiting Mom at Menno Home, and living at Menno Terrace West, he became best friends with Gordon Magnusson.  (When Dad moved to Worthington Pavilion Sept. 2019, Gordon faithfully visited him twice a week until Dad’s heavenly transfer on Feb. 21, 2024.)  Worthington Pavilion Staff were so very kind and caring towards Dad, and we will be forever grateful to all who extended care and love towards Tom.  Thanks also to the  faithful friends who continued to visit Dad at Worthington  for almost 5 years.