Thomas Robert Smith

Tom was born in Calgary, Alberta on May 5, 1948, and spent most of his life here. At 16 years old, he started working at the Calgary Herald, beginning a 35-year career where many people knew him as “T.R.” He worked a lot of different jobs over the years, including the Bowness Legion and, most recently, at the Country Hills Superstore Liquor Store for almost 15 years. Tom was a hard worker, no matter what the job was, and he made friends wherever he went.

Tom was quite the guy. He knew how to have a good time, and he certainly knew how to tell a story. Some of them may have even been true. We’ll miss that cheeky smile, his rebellious nature, and the way he could turn just about anything into a tall tale. He had a big heart, even if he didn’t always come right out and show it. Tom had his own ways of letting you know he cared, usually without making a big production of it. He was generous, loyal, and always ready to help in his own way. He could also tell you exactly how many days there were until Christmas or your birthday. You never had to wonder whether Tom knew the date, and likely a special gift or surprise in store.

Tom loved a cold beer, rock ’n’ roll, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, and looking up at the cosmos. He was fascinated by the stars and everything beyond them. If you’re ever out stargazing, you can find his star located in the Pleiades open star cluster (M45) within the constellation of Taurus.

But music was probably the biggest part of Tom. He picked up the guitar as a teenager and never really put it down. He always said he fell in love with rock ’n’ roll the first time he saw The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Tom had a great voice, a natural musicality, and passed some of that along to his daughter. He played in a local band in the ’60s and kept playing for the rest of his life. For years, you could find him at open jams around Calgary, doing what he loved and playing with anyone who was willing to pick up an instrument.

For his 65th birthday, his family gave him studio time to record an EP with professional studio musicians and producers. It was a lifelong dream come true for Tom. And true to form, he gave every performance everything he had, like it might be his last. Looking back, that gift came back around to us in the best possible way. We now have his voice. We have his guitar. We have him singing the songs he loved. We get to hear Tom again whenever we want. He’ll always be remembered in song.

Even as his health declined rapidly, Tom was still Tom. He was smiling, singing along to Beatles songs, and making the people around him laugh right until the very end.

He had an undeniable spirit. He was wild at heart, and he lived life on his own terms.

Tom was predeceased by his spouse, Joanne Davis. He leaves behind his siblings, Raymond Smith and Marlene Taverner; his children, Anthony Smith and Samantha Savage Smith; and a proud grandpa to his two grandchildren, Eli and Stella.

We’ll miss him more than we can say; the stories, the music, the smile, the stubbornness, the laughs, and all the little things that made him Tom. We’ll carry him with us always.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Tom at The Cat ‘n Fiddle, 540 16 Ave N.W., Calgary, AB on Sunday, September 20, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Come share a story, tell a tall tale, listen to some of his music, and raise a glass to this beloved man.

In lieu of flowers, a charitable donation can be made to ElderDog Canada.

“Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns / It calls me on and on across the universe.” — John Lennon

Tom Smith Star Coordinates:

27 Tau - HIP 17847 - SAO 76228 - HD 23850

Magnitude: 3.60

RA/Dec (on date): 3h50m7.19s/+24°05'55.9*

Galactic longitude/latitude: +167°00'49.9*/-23°14'04.4"

Distance: 382.36 ly

This obituary has been authorized by the family for posting on Foster’s Garden Chapel Funeral Home’s website. As such, it is protected against any form of reproduction or redistribution without prior consent from the family.