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TIBOR W. (BILL) TOTH
Date of Passing: Nov 15, 2023
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryTIBOR W. (BILL) TOTH
With sadness and gratitude for his life, Bill’s family announce his passing on November 15, 2023.
Dad was born in Middle Lake, Saskatchewan in 1933, the youngest of Josef and Teresa’s four children. He loved being a kid in the country and the freedom he and his buddies enjoyed. He had two particularly close friends, Dan Folk and Roallen (Roy) Hackl, who he met when they were boys and stayed connected with until Roy’s and his own death. What an achievement to have had friendships that lasted some 80 years!
As a teenager, Dad moved to Saskatoon and worked as a bicycle-riding telegram messenger. He stayed with CNCP Telecommunications for his entire 37-year career that included stints in Melville, SK, Sioux Lookout, ON, and Winnipeg. He made lifelong friends through work and kept in touch with several of them to the end of his life. He saw and embraced massive technological changes - from telegrams and morse code to online banking and Facebook.
As the last and far-longest survivor among his siblings, he had the role of family historian and storyteller for his many nieces and nephews. At Dad’s urging we had a fun virtual family reunion last summer.
He and Mom enjoyed golf, curling, square dancing, and travel but what he really loved was a big family dinner. It was never complete until he would drop an opinion about a current issue and - with a glint in his eye and subtle grin - watch his kids or guests take the bait and have a rousing argument. He had opinions on everything. He went as far as emailing The Vatican to complain to The Pope about various points of church doctrine. (To the best of our knowledge he didn’t sway The Pope one way or another.)
He was a fervent Saskatchewan Roughriders fan and proudly wore his jersey to dinner at The Westhaven the day after games. He happily paid or collected on numerous $1 bets with the other residents.
He loved astronomy, the stars, and all things celestial.
Family was everything to our Dad. He was proud of his children’s and especially grandchildren’s accomplishments and was also there to console us in hard times. Often in his later years he would remind us that we were his legacy.
Our Mom, Sheila, was the love of his life. They met in Middle Lake when they were young and after working in various cities on their own, courted and were married in 1959. It has been said that he was a great dancer. In fact, he had to be to keep up with Mom! He cared deeply about her his whole life.
Dad is survived by his wife Sheila and children, Darren and daughter-in-law Gillian (Ryan, Maria and Madison, Emily and Graham), Leila (Ashton, Meghan and Mike, Ben), Tammy and son-in-law Declan (Luke, Shane), and Trevor and daughter-in-law Dayna (Ryah, Alayna, Lynaya).
There will be a private family service later. For now, Dad would want all of you to have dinner with your families, drink wine, and tell stories about him.
Our family would like to thank the staff at The Westhaven where he and Mom lived for the last eight years, the many home care nurses and aides who were so good to him, as well as the nurses and staff who cared for him on ward 2 South at Grace Hospital for the last few weeks.
Dad had written these final thoughts a few years ago:
“Be kind and considerate to all. Like the grain of wheat that dies, so we must die to propagate our lives in our offspring and our descendants.”
We will truly miss him.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 18, 2023, Nov 18, 2023
Condolences & Memories (1 entries)
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I met Bill in 1944. I was 9, Roy 10, and Bill was 11 Bill was the smallest but smartest. Small town was safe and quiet, we were free to run and play at will. We knew everyone and every pet in town. Even then Bill loved to argue, early example, "If Roy Rogers and Gene Autry were to duke it out" who would win?? Later topics were politics, space, religion. The pope, aware of his oponent refuses to reply to Bill's email! Bill was a great friend, father and grandfather. He was always honest, courteous and considerate of all. He loved to laugh and have fun. I loved him as boy and to this day. I will forever miss him. My condolences to Sheila and the family. - Posted by: DAN FOLK (LIFELONG FRIEND) on: Nov 20, 2023