Thomas McCready

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Thomas McCready, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

      Thomas was born on August 18, 1926 in Landsdowne, Ontario. He was the son of James and Miriam McCready and raised in Landsdowne, Ontario, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

      As a young boy, Tom was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Tom was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Thomas was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Tom also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Tom was raised with seven siblings. He had three older brothers Rupert, Alex and Floyd, one younger brother - Bruce, one older sister Frances and two younger sisters Grace and Beatrice. Tom was constantly involved in activities with his family. Tom and his siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Most folks would say that Tom was shy until they got to know him. Those who were privileged to know him well learned that he was a solid, good friend. Tom was reluctant to generalize about people, and he based his friendships on his personal experiences. Because of this, Thomas best trusted those people that he truly knew. He was concerned about how those around him felt, and he always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. He could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that he made, Thomas kept. Later in life, he became friends with Ralph and Marge, Gord and Helen Foster and Ozzie and Helen Werner.

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Tom. On June 15, 1946 Thomas married Eva Belle Hall in Gananoque, Ontario. He was totally committed to Eva and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Tom naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Thomas disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Tom was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Tom was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Thomas was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Tom was blessed with two sons, Wayne and Brian. He were also blessed with three grandchildren, Tori, Easton and Lacey.

      If you gave Tom a deadline, he would meet it. At work, he was always on task. Without hesitation, Tom could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was as a truck driver. He was employed for 30 years by ICL& Yellow Transport. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Tom was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Tom had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems.

      Tom liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Tom's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Tom preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favourite pursuits were gardening and fixing things.

      While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Tom often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favourite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list was hockey.

      Due to his excellent organizational skills, Tom was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which he belonged. Tom could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Tom was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout his later years, Thomas was an active member of the King Street Pentecostal Church.

      An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, his faith was important to Tom. His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a member King Street Pentecostal Church for 60 years. During that time, he was a Deacon, Sunday School Superintendent and a Sunday School Teacher.

      Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Tom. He never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given him for his many and varied efforts throughout his life were well deserved. Some of his most prestigious awards included safe driving awards.

      Anyone who travelled or went on vacation with Tom had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that he was the trip planner. He would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favourite vacations included travelling Canada's East and West Coast.

       His family was rounded out by a variety of dogs over 30 years. Thomas was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

      When Tom's retirement finally arrived in 1991, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. In retirement, he found new pleasure in spending more time with his spouse. Even in retirement, Tom continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

      Tom passed away on April 7, 2014 at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, Ontario. He fought a brave battle against cancer. He is survived by his wife Eva, his two children Wayne and Brian and his three grandchildren Tori, Easton and Lacey. Services were held at Oshawa Funeral Home. Thomas was laid to rest in Thornton Cemetery in Oshawa, Ontario.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Tom was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Thomas was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Thomas McCready was very literal with his words. You always knew where you stood with Thomas. He will be missed.

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McCready, Thomas Osborne –

Tom was a “gentleman and a gentle man” to his family, friends, and acquaintances.

He passed away peacefully at Lakeridge Health Oshawa on Monday, April 7th, 2014 at the age of 87.

Much loved by his late wife Eva, his sons Wayne (Vera) and Brian (Beth), his grandsons Ian (Karen), Glenn (Sherrilyn), and Mark (Rebecca), and great grandchildren Tori, Easton, and Lacey.

Beloved by his sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to the Supportive Care staff at Lakeridge Health Oshawa for their kindness, compassion and thoughtfulness during his illness.

Friends may call at Oshawa Funeral Home, 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) on Saturday, April 26th from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.

Funeral Service will be held in the Chapel on Saturday, April 26th at 11:00 a.m. Memorial donations to the Lakeridge Health Foundation – Supportive Care Unit, or to Grandview Children’s Centre.