Thomas Tom Frederick Dandeno

Thomas Frederick Dandeno was a quiet, somewhat reserved man until you got to know him. He was a man of his word and serious in his approach to life and in his relationships. He was fair-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. Tom was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and in possession of a dry, wickedly funny sense of humour. Realistic about life, he was always prepared to take on responsibility.

Tom was born on July 4, 1929 in Galt General Hospital, in Galt, Ontario. His parents were Thomas Frederick (Fred) and Eva Mae Dandeno (nee MacDonald). He was raised in many towns in southern Ontario-Galt, Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Dandeno household was very typical of the times. There were good times to be had, but there was a fair share of challenges, as well. However, Tom's father was able to contribute to the war effort and stay in Canada with his family. They rented usually rooms, a common practice of the day, in nice homes in nice neighbourhoods, although there is the story of the family living in an old hearse for a short time. Tom's mother was a stay at home mom and his grandmother also figured predominately in his childhood and teen years. He was raised with one sibling, a younger brother, David Robert (Bob). Tom was often involved in activities with his brother like delivering newspapers and Boy Scouts. Tom and Bob may have had the typical rivalries while growing up, but the relationship stayed strong til Bob's passing in 2005.

As a young child, Tom was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He was generally obedient, as were most children of the 1930s, with a respect for his parents and all elders. He once remarked, though, that he couldn't count the number of times his father spanked him as he was too stubborn to admit he was wrong. Tom developed a variety of interests and the things he enjoyed doing, he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was eager to discover it. He was a dedicated Boy Scout for many years. Tom earned many merit badges and awards in Scouting including the Bushman's Thong, a prestigious youth award. He and his brother, Bob, also won awards for Best Newspaper Carrier.

Tom enjoyed school and learning, although, he had a bit of a difficult time once he reached high school. He was so much younger than his fellow classmates that he endured alot of teasing and bullying. Due to alot of family moves, he attended many schools in southern Ontario, graduating from St. Jerome's College in Kitchener, in 1945. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. He graduated from Grade 13 at age 16, three years early.

At 19, Tom decided to join the Royal Canadian Navy and college was his next step. He enrolled in the Naval Electrical School in Halifax, graduating as an electrician in 1949. Almost 20 years later, he again enrolled in college, earning his Business Administration diploma, with an Accounting Major, from Algonquin College in Ottawa in 1968.

Tom was fortunate to have numerous acquaintances and several very close friends during his life. While growing up, again because of the frequent moves, some of his best friends were his brother and cousins, relationships he kept throughout his life. He did recall a few instances of boyhood "fun" from his younger days--teams of boys throwing 'road apples' at each other, with some hitting their mark, and his school chum, Chester Zuwala, having his face washed in horse manure. Later in life, he became friends with fellow military personnel as they shared postings, often meeting up again years later.

On September 26, 1953 Tom exchanged wedding vows with Irene Scott in the Rectory of St. Mary Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church in Port Credit, now Mississauga, Ontario. It was a small wedding with family and a few close friends in attendance. Afterwards his mother and dad hosted a reception at their home complete with homemade punch. Absolutely devoted to Irene, Tom held traditional values about marriage and family life. He took the responsibility of marriage very seriously, giving it his total commitment. He was a source of strength to Irene, as she was to him. It was truly a match made in heaven.

Tom believed in raising his children, not letting them raise themselves and he gave them alot of guidance when they were growing up. He showed them how to do things, as opposed to always telling them, and led by example. He was a good parent; firm but fair in dealing with them. As he spent a lot of time away from the family home due to work commitments, Irene did a lot of the day to day child rearing, but the children always knew he was thinking of them as they would receive postcards in the mail and thick colouring books when he returned home. He led by example once his children were old enough to make that connection and they always knew what was expected of them. Irene and Tom were blessed with three children, two daughters Alison Jeanne and Laurel Marie, and one son Thomas Paul (Paul). Later, they were also blessed with four grandchildren: Mirranda, Hayley, Nicholas and Caroline.

Tom thoroughly enjoyed his career choice. The structure and discipline of military life suited his personality. His career in the military, a choice that was not planned but developed in his late teen years, spanned 48 years. He spent 3 years in the Royal Canadian Navy, 25 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force and nearly 20 years at HMCS Quadra. Tom was always willing to give what was needed to get the job done. He was a reliable part of any team, understanding his position and his responsibilities and his fellow enlisted men still speak very highly of him. Years after retiring, he still rose at 7am each morning, ate his breakfast which started with half a grapefruit, and maintained a basic routine in his day.

Tom was both a Navy and an Air Force Veteran. He was in the Navy from 1948-1951 on the HMCS Magnificent and various shore locations; in the Air force from 1951-1976 with numerous postings and from 1976-1994 with the Naval Reserve at the Sea Cadet training camp at HMCS Quadra. Tom was part of 407 Squadron's contribution to the International Commission for Control and Supervision (ICCS), Peacekeeping in Vietnam in 1973. Through his hard work and dedication, he achieved the rank of Major in the Canadian Air Force. He was awarded the Special Services Medal with NATO clasp, ICCS (Vietnam Medal), Canadian centennial medal, CD with 3 clasps and in 1991 Officer, Order of Military Merit (OMM) recognizing his service to his country. He also participated in two Argus flights that broke Canadian records - one for Speed & Range and one for Endurance.

Tom's favourite hobbies were definitely a reflection of his life with stamp and coin collecting being his main leisure pastimes for a number of years. He also was very interested in wood working for many years, making furniture and decorative pieces for the house. He even had his own woodworking shop in the house they bought in Comox. He also dabbled in painting, tin can sculpting, and making molds for whiteware. Tom enjoyed solitary hobbies, time to relax and recharge, but he did try to involve the children sometimes and all three children collected stamps for years.

Tom found pleasure in some sports. In high school, he played football, developing his lifelong passion for the game. Saturday afternoon CFL football games were a staple in the house for many years. He would watch televised games whenever the opportunity presented itself. Any kind of football was of great interest- CFL, AFL, or College games. In later years, he developed a taste for golf and watched it regularly as well.

As a man who always showed great commitment to the things he believed in, it’s little wonder that Tom was so active in his community. Many community organizations were thankful to have Tom as part of their team. Tom was never afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig right in. He had common sense and dedication and believed that any job worth doing was worth doing well. Tom was a member of several community groups, serving as a Director of the Comox District and the Comox Valley & BC Central Credit Unions, a Director of D'Esterre Seniors Housing Society, and the volunteer treasurer for many local societies. He was also a Past President of the Comox Legion and a Life Member. Politically, Tom was private, with only those close to him having insight into his beliefs.

Tom was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church his entire life. During that time, he was a lay reader and tireless volunteer for any need that came up. He valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them. It was his faith that sustained him after Irene's sudden passing and his solid belief that they would be together one day for eternity.

Tom spent most of his career travelling and seeing the world so when it was time for vacations, it was family time, all the time. He enjoyed spending time with his parents, with Bob and his wife, and with his cousins and their families. Every summer, while he was stationed in the Maritimes, Tom drove the family to Port Credit for a few weeks of summer fun. Corn on the cob, trips to the Kitchener Farmer's Market, the men smoking cigars in the back yard, and hot, humid summer nights spent in comfort in his parents' cool family room in the basement. After the children had grown, Tom and Irene and several friends took a few bus trips to Reno, but mostly Tom enjoyed visiting with friends and family over a few drinks or a glass of good wine.

When Tom retired in 1994 in Comox, BC, he stayed in the family home and continued to garden and stay active. He made a few trips to see his children out of province and visited regularly with his youngest daughter on the Island. He had time to play cribbage in a few leagues and watch football, and extra time in the mornings for his crossword puzzles. Tom kept alive the TGIF tradition and would go to the Mess for supper and a few drinks and meet up with some old friends. He continued to volunteer in the community and had a very full life.

Thomas Frederick Dandeno passed away after a severe stroke at age 87, on April 6, 2017 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Comox, BC, with his children's love and blessing. He is survived by his three children: Alison, Laurel and Paul; his grandchildren: Mirranda, Hayley, Nick and Caroline. Services were held at Christ the King Church in Courtenay with the Eulogy and Poppy Service at the Comox Legion on May 31, 2017. Tom was cremated and, as were his wishes, his ashes were combined with those of his beloved Irene and scattered.

Commitment is a word that can be used to describe the life of Thomas Frederick Dandeno. He was committed to living the life of a good man, a good husband, and a good father. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He was committed to being someone who could be counted on do a good job to the best of his ability. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.

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DANDENO, Thomas (Tom) Frederick

OMM CD2

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our father, Tom, on Thursday, April 6, 2017 at the age of 87 years. He was predeceased by the love of his life, Irene, in 1990. Tom was born in Galt, Ontario, and grew up in the Kitchener Waterloo area. Upon completing his schooling at the Guelph Collegiate, he joined the Royal Canadian Navy on July 15, 1948; he then transferred to the RCAF in 1951. He served first as a radio officer and then as a navigator.

He married Irene Scott in Toronto on September 26, 1953. They saw various postings across Canada, their last one, in 1970, to CFB Comox. Tom served his country as a member of the ICCS Peacekeeping Corps in Vietnam in 1973. Following his retirement from the RCAF, Tom served as CADMO at HMCS Quadra Sea Cadet Camp for 19 years. In 1991 he was awarded the Order of Military Merit by the Governor General of Canada in Ottawa.

In 1959 while serving on 405 Squadron based out of CFB Greenwood Nova Scotia he and his crew flew from Barbers Point, Hawaii to North Bay, Ontario in 20 hours and 10 minutes breaking an existing speed and range record that was commemorated on a Canadian postage stamp on September 4, 1999. In 1975 while serving on 407 Squadron at CFB Comox he and his crew flew for over 30 hours without refueling to set an endurance record.

He served on the Board of Directors of the Comox District Credit Union and the Comox Valley Credit Union for over 15 years, including 6 years on the BC Central Credit Union Board of Directors. He served for many years on the St John the Baptist Parish Council, the d’Esterre Seniors Housing Society and the Comox Legion Board of Directors. Due to his many years of service to the Legion, Tom was awarded a life membership.

Tom will be lovingly remembered by his children: Alison (Frank), Paul (Rosalind), and Laurel; 4 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ the King Church (1599 Tunner Dr., Courtenay), followed at 1:00 p.m. by a Poppy Service and eulogy at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 160 (1825 Comox Ave.).