Remembering
Thomas Kenneth Perrin
A Renaissance man
Tom Perrin
Born: November 27th, 1927
Place of Birth:
Penticton, British Columbia
Date of Death: March 7th, 2000
Place of Death:
Penticton British Columbia
Married His Beloved Patsy D
Patricia Diane Fletcher (b:1934-d:1992) They married on April 9th, 1952 at the old Anglican Chapel in Penticton BC
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You are welcome to use this guest book to record your memories of TK Perrin
Tom (above) cross cut sawing below the terraced garden at the family home on Norton Street in Penticton.
TK ~ 8 months old, 1928 Penticton BC
Tom was a Renaissance man in the truest sense. He was a learned man, a philosopher, an educator for 25 years, an artist and craftsman, a romantic and a beloved husband, and the very best father and friend.
He lived well & generously, loved passionately & deeply, and died in his own home surrounded by his family. He was met on the other side by his wife and his son. A warmer welcome there couldn't be! Tom Perrin was a wise and gentle soul. He, our beloved mom and our brother are greatly missed in our day to day lives.
An abbreviated genealogy:
Father: Charles Perrin B: Sept 21, 1886 Didsbury Manchester England D: Feb 18th, 1973 Penticton, British Columbia Canada
Mother: Vida Valerie Lloyd B: April 29th, 1899 Brandon Manitoba Canada D: Sept 20th, 1982 Summerland BC Canada
Tom's siblings: Charles Lloyd, Rose Valerie, Jean Margot & Robert Anthony
Remember me
Thomas Kenneth Perrin
1927 - 2000
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Pat and Tom on their wedding day in 1952
Children:
First born son; Michael Fletcher Perrin (b:1954- d:1984). Three daughters; still living,
and two wonderful grand-daughters whom he loved deeply...
Memories of Tom from his and our dear friend Patrick (reprinted here with his permission.)
Regrettably it has taken me some time to write to you since the passing of your father and your friend and someone who was very, very special to me and an immeasurable influence on my life.
I have tried a few times to sit down and write you some remembrance words but nothing ever seems to be as I really would like. This may very well be the same but I intend letting it run its course and hope at the end I have managed to let you know my feelings and that you will understand.
While Tom’s passing was always inevitable, as will our own in time, it nonetheless visits upon us a certain disbelief. Sometimes we think our nearest will always be here and they never give us reason to think otherwise. To me Tom was such a larger than life person whose presence was everywhere.
I can say heartfully that there was rarely a day passed when thoughts of him did not come to me. I have often told others, especially my family, of the men who have had a great guiding hand on my life. I always count them as no more than three in addition to my own father. These three, perhaps not coincidentally, have all been teachers but foremost among them is Tom - is, because his presence will always be with me.
It is difficult to tell you of the esteem in which I hold Tom at a professional level, it is the sort of thing a teacher may best understand but I was always enormously impressed and constantly admired the way he ran his school, cared for his pupils, managed his programs, responded to parents and so many other aspects of his teaching life. He was selfless in every way - no matter what the situation, no matter what the time of day. I remember fondly and with amazement and amusement the many times a concerned and sometimes an irate parent would front up to him on a late Friday night in the Three Gables and he would always keep his cool, focus on the situation and be a winner. I learnt so much.
However, professional considerations aside, the most enduring and endearing memory of Tom, and here I must include your dear brother and your wonderful mother, is the enormous friendship and love you all gave me and which you later extended to Suzanne and our girl, Emma. Emma has such an abundance of warm feelings for Tom and Pat, her honorary grandparents and, as they knew, she had no grandparents here.
I would consider it redundant to elaborate on this - it goes without saying how much you gave me and us and the depth of feeling we have for you all.
It is now only a few weeks away from 30 years since since I left the farewell barbecue in Penticton and yet it is so vivid in my mind. When we reunited, sadly only for a short but nevertheless wonderful time, in Vancouver in 1996 it was as if we had never been far away and that is how I always feel when I think of the Perrins. Think back to November 1966 - the wonderful parties, the gatherings around the kitchen table, the wonderful Haidas, the outings with "Rags" Regnerry, the trips to Sandspit on the water taxi, the "fortune" in coins the revellers would leave around the lounge floor after the party, feeding the Australian and doing his washing and ironing, the trips to Masset - how wonderful!
And then in Penticton the same again. Girls, you were all growing up so wonderfully with Tom and Pat at the helm, and though you were probably unaware at the time, maybe even now, I was doing a lot of growing myself.
For a person who seemed to be constantly in your company I was never made to feel as if I was in the way and I put that down to the extraordinary generosity of spirit and exceptional genuineness of you all. I will finish here. There are pages I could fill of memories but one final thought is this - that I never had a bad moment with the Perrins, not one cross word or feeling. I love you all.
