Obituaries

Neil Donald Tomlinson

It is with deep regret that we announce the sudden passing of Neil Donald Tomlinson on Thursday, August 27, 2026 at Grace Hospital; he was 70 years old. Neil leaves behind his son Jed, daughter in law Kaylee, and daughter Jessie. He is also survived by his friend and trusted brother in law Jim, his three sisters Gail, Heather, and Debbie (Brent), and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Ewan and Wilhemine, his sister Darlene, and his great niece Brittany.

Neil worked at Federal Express for more than 30 years, during which time he formed lasting friendships and came to regard many of his coworkers as a second family on whom he could rely in tough times (and computer dilemas). He spent many happy afternoons in their company during his retirement (as long as he could get home early enough for a nap).

Above all else, Neil loved his family. One of his great delights was being his parents’ only son: he cherished all his memories of his father and he held dear the material items associated with him; he had a deep and tender affection for his mother, and held her close in his memory always (even the memory of his defiant picky eating habits, which she could never conquer, and which he maintained his whole life). Neil also loved his sisters very much, and was never angry or upset with them, but loved them for themselves. He was proud of his son’s independence and choice of life partner, and he liked his daughter’s cooking and that she usually listened without trying to solve anything.

Neil was a very quiet man in later life, contrasting the much more social years of early adulthood. He enjoyed family gatherings and lunches with friends. He never had trouble talking, and could talk at length to strangers, often stopping to ask questions if he admired their dog or their garden. It was a relief, however, to get back home to enjoy the solitude of his daily routine: he enjoyed its quietness and repeatability (and those naps!), and was often frustrated by change. Neil was a hard worker (doing dishes early in the morning, and a couple of hours of TV before bed were his only moments of rest) and took pleasure in doing his job to the utmost of his ability, traits which he took into other aspects of his life. He strove to follow rules and regulations, possessing a seemingly bottomless well of patience, and was almost never moved to outright anger; he felt things deeply, but tried to be outwardly steady. Neil also loved to make people laugh, tease them, or shock them into laughter with his opinions, and was sometimes stubborn to an infuriating degree. He was very kind and gentle, and often sported a bandana in later years to spare people the discomfort of seeing the scars of his head. Neil loved being a father, and worked incredibly hard to support his family, wanting them to have everything they could want. He liked to connect with his kids over sports (and tried very hard to encourage them to be sporty when they were young) and the movies and shows he had watched growing up, and loved to share memories of his childhood with them. He was the best and most incredible father, brother, son, and friend.

Neil’s family wish to thank the staff of the Grace Hospital Emergency Department who looked after him for 24 hours before he was admitted as a patient: their kindness, efficiency, and professionalism were very appreciated. They also wish to thank the kind and gracious nurses of the fifth floor, who kept Neil comfortable over his final 10 hours.
Neil was tender-hearted, devoted, and loyal. To all the friends and family who did not get to say goodbye, please cherish him in your memory along with this verse he treasured:

We did not see you close your eyes
Or hear your last faint sigh,
We only heard that you were gone
Too late to say good-bye.
And while you lie in peaceful sleep,
Your memory we always will keep.