Carol and family -
So sorry and saddened by your loss. 
My thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Deepest condolences,  Anne DiLosa

I worked with Bob on a number of projects and committees during my years with CL Toronto.  As mentioned by so many here, he was a quiet, humorous man with a big heart who was willing to help wherever he could.  I’m not sure when he became the Association’s unofficial videographer but he soon became known for his skill in capturing not just the participants and surroundings, but the atmosphere of our many events and celebrations.  How special is it that so many of us remember the same great qualities of Bob’s personality and spirit and his impact on each of us, personally and Association-wide.

Carol and Family,

I am so sorry for your loss. You and the boys are in our thoughts and prayers.

Lisa Wood

Bob and sister Cathy. First time she worked at Shadow Lake Camp in 1985. She dressed as his twin to see if anyone would think she was him, LOL!

Saddened to hear of the passing of my brother-in-law, Bob. Extending my deepest sympathies to my sister Carol, on the loss of her husband, and my nephews on the loss of their father.
It was evident from the first time Carol introduced Bob to our family that he was a man of strong character, dry sense of humor, and a gentle, caring nature. Fond memories of many thanksgivings, Christmas, and Easter around the family table. Bob deserved his place as head of the table. Lots of laughs over his dry sense of humor. Even some deep, political, discussions and predictions of our favourite sports teams.
As mentioned by all the other posts, Bob definitely has left behind a legacy. Much of the family memory he had captured on video and digitalizing family photos. Thanks so much for doing that Bob.
You will be sadly missed.

Such sad news of the passing of my cousin, Bobby.  Remembering back to the family gatherings up at the cottage in Keswick on Thanksgiving weekends doesn’t seem all that long ago. There were 6 of us cousins born all  same year which was always a topic of conversation as we gathered with our parents and siblings. 
Condolences to the entire family. 

Patricia (Kealy) Crake

I was fortunate to have worked with Bob in the very early years of our careers with CLToronto. I have very fond memories from the two years that we worked together at a group home over 30 years ago.  It was my first fulltime job with CLTO and who better to learn from than Bob.  He was a great mentor and role model to me. I appreciated having a teammate as positive and supportive as he was.  I remember his love for music was infectious and the whole house enjoyed listening to mixed tapes that he put together with Blue Rodeo sticking out the most in my mind. 
Another fun memory was spending a week at Shadow Lake with the group home in the middle of a harsh winter.  Despite the cold and mountains of snow, it was a beautiful winter wonderland experience. Bob always organized fun activities that enriched the lives of the people we supported. 
Years later in the late 2000’s, I was part of a team at the North York office of which Bob was the lead. As always it was a pleasure working with him and a very positive experience.  His leadership and guidance were invaluable. Shadow Lake was again a destination, but this time it was a day retreat for members of the North York Community Support team. Bob was always supportive of creative ways to enhance team building and provide learning opportunities.
I wish to extend my sincerest condolences to Bob’s family. May you find comfort in the happy memories that you have of him and the knowledge that his life had such a positive impact on so many people.  My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Well here it is as Ed Sullivan would say , Ladies and Gentleman , The Beatles!!! lol . From top to bottom,  Gary Milling as George myself , Bill Smith Sr as John , Bob Ferguson as Paul and Brian ( Bubba ) Brown as Ringo . Taken in July of 1985 .

Bob was a wonderful man and one of the most standout colleagues that I have had during my working life. I am deeply saddened by his loss. 
Bob and I connected due to our love of soccer and we took great delight in ribbing each other about the ups and downs of his favourite, Liverpool, and my club, Manchester United, English soccer's biggest rivals (I was usually on the receiving end as Liverpool has been the better team recently). Bob was also an anorak on north American soccer history and I enjoyed hearing from him about how the game developed in this region.

Dear Carol and Family,

I am so sorry for your loss!  Bob was a beautiful man who was loved by many of us.

I have worked with Bob in  many different capacities since 1998 and will miss him dearly. He was someone that I trusted and turned to for advice and support, he was always there, and offered his wisdom in  such a calm and thoughtful way. 

Bob was somebody that we all aspire to be like. He was smart, he was calm and gentle, he was so respected by everybody. When times were tough for me, he was always there to listen and help me work through things. 

Bob was definitely one of the good ones and his legacy for CLTO and people with intellectual disabilities continues.

Carol and family our deepest condolences to you and your family our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this difficult time.
From Tony,Vince,Rick,Patricia (Hairomatics)

Dear Carol and family.  

My condolences on Bob’s passing. 

 I was heart broken when I heard and was flooded with so many happy memories of the times Bob and I shared at SLC, concerts, and general hijinks as well as remembering his happiness when he shared his news of his engagement to you and, of course, his joy at becoming a dad.  Bob is loved by many.



With thoughts and prayers,
Marian Gillis

I will post the Beatles pic of all 4 of us this weekend when I go through my scrapbook

The memories of Bob shared here are a testament to Bob's impact on people. I think it's down to the way he walked through the world. The word I'd use is 'presence': when you talked to Bob, he was really there; he was present and full of joy. He helped me and those he met to be more joyful, more excellent versions of themselves.

I met Bob as a Shadow Lake counsellor in 1982. I played guitar a little and that was enough to start the wheels in Bob's head turning. The next thing you know there was a band and concerts held in the dining hall with corny songs and sing-alongs. Later Bob was part of setting up a multitrack recording of the Shadow Lake Song I got to take part in: it was our own "We Are The World" but without the ego. And that points again to Bob's way of being in the world: he was at the center of everything, but it was never about him - it was always about everyone else. Through the alum get-togethers, I was able to stay connected and was thrilled many years later to bring my daughter to a 'fix it up' weekend at Shadow Lake at which Bob was in attendance. 

Can a person be a hero, not just for some set of accomplishments, but for the way they walked through the world and how they made others feel? The verdict is in: Robert Joseph Ferguson is your man!

From Bill Smith Sr.  Colleague and friend.              I first knew Bob in 1981 as a junior counselor at Shadow Lake Camp. I worked with Bob from 1981 to 1987 ( 7 years ) . Bob and I were close and a funny moment when Bob made him , myself , Brian ( Bubba ) Brown and another counselor Gary Milling the fab four ( the beatles ) ( you can view the pic I posted from 1985 of us as the beatles ) as all 4 of us were counsellors together in the cabin ( cabin 13 ) and so Bob and I were senior counsellors , Brian ( Bubba ) was the junior counselor and Gary Milling was our CIT ( counselor in training ) in the cabin ( I was one on one with Michael Haramustic at the time and the others had the other campers ) .  And it was even funnier when one of us would call us by the Beatles name ( Bob was Paul , I was John , Brian ( Bubba ) was George and Gary was Ringo lol ) it was even funnier when we would call each other the Beatle name in front of other counsellors and campers lol , they all thought we were all crazy when one of them would call one of us by our real name and we either ignored it and said who ? and try doing this with a straight face lol . The memories I have with Bob , so many but the most things/moments I will miss would be our downtime talks at night after the campers were sleeping before shooting baskets with Bob at the top of the barn so if you can imagine our talks for 7 years in the summer's every night even when we were working separately in different cabins every night for 7 years in the summer time , I will cherish those serious and funny chats for sure . Rest in peace my friend Paul lol .

Celebrating Bob's Retirement in 2017 at Shadow Lake

Our deepest condolences 
We met Bob in his first years as a counsellor at Shadow Lake and had the good fortune to work with him on several CLTO committees over the years. His enthusiasm, dedication and love for SLC and CLTO touched so many lives. We will miss him.

Very sorry and saddened to hear of Bob's passing. 
He was a kind hearted soul who seemed to always put others before himself. I was lucky enough to have know Bob since the late 80's when we first met at Shadow Lake & even luckier to work with him again at Shadow Lake almost 30 years later. My heart is with his family during this time. Bob will be missed.
Muhammed Irshad

“Ok honey, let’s go Squish the fish”.

I am so sorry to hear of Bobs passing.   Bob and I worked many years together at Shadow Lake and shared some great times.   Drinking a few adult beverages and singing along to his beloved Beatles music.  I cannot make the celebration but I will be there in spirit.    Rest in peace my friend 

Mike

I will miss Bob, he was a mentor to me when I was coming up in Youth 2 Work, he taught me self confidence. He will be missed by everyone he helped at Community Living Toronto.

I will miss Bob a lot, he was a mentor to me when I started Youth 2 Work, he helped me gain skills and confidence. He will be missed by everyone he helped at Community Living Toronto

I am deeply saddened to hear of Bob’s passing. I remember him as a warm, generous and kind-hearted man, with a passionate soul; loved and respected by many. I especially, remember his great sense of humor and how he loved to make  people laugh. His dedication and passion for his work was inspiring. He was committed to the organization and was always looking to support others. It was a pleasure to know Bob. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. In the midst of your sorrow, I hope you find comfort in the memories shared. He will be greatly missed and remain in our hearts forever.

I will miss Bob, he was a mentor to me when I was starting out in Youth 2 Work, he helped me gain confidence in myself. He will be missed by all of the people he helped at Community Living Toronto.

Our North York ADP team back in the 90's .. Bob was an incredible leader

Bob with Mel Lastman at the opening of the North York ADP building

Bob loved our annual CLTO Picnic, he would grille up hundreds of burgers and always had a smile on his face

Bob was such a wonderful man. When I first moved from Manitoba in Jan 1990, he was the one first hired me when he was a supervisor in one of the homes in North York. Even though I only worked there for about six weeks , I always remember his kindness, thoughtfulness and continued greeting each other for years. I am deeply sorry to hear that and my condolences to his family, colleagues and friends.  Hadgu

I was fortunate enough to work with Bob at Community Living Toronto. Bob provided me with some of my favourite memories while at Community Living Toronto and continued his friendship and mentorship after I moved on to other professional opportunities - checking in on me from time-to-time to see where I was and what I was working on.  He was tirelessly committed to the organization and was always looking to innovate. Bob was a pioneer in diversity, equity and inclusion work across the developmental services sector -  I am so blessed to have been part of that journey with him.  Many of us would not be where we are today without having the opportunity to work with,  and learn from, Bob.  My sincerest condolences to the entire family.

Bob was one of my favourite people. Kind, Generous.  Grounded and unwavering in his values.  He also initiated some of CLToronto's most important initiatives. But more than that, he was deeply insightful, fun and creative with a wicked sense of humour. His videos were the stuff of legends. His interest in history and politics only surpassed by his vinyl collection and love of John Prine.  He was a lot of fun to be around. He will be deeply missed and his memory cherished.

My Deepest condolences to his Family i work at 20 Spadina reception 36 years. Bob was always very pleasant he will be missed.
Wendy McGee

Bob Ferguson, a gentle calm compassionate leader who supported all of those around him.  Bob was a key motivator in my early career at CLTO. Bob continually demonstrated a warm, comforting approach to everyone, even when faced with challenges. I will forever be thankful for Bob, his support, compassion and willingness to go the extra mile.   Bob has set the expectations for Leaders extremely high, as he was an inspirational  leader in the developmental sector and his skills demonstrated his commitment and approach to always putting people first.  Bob had an amazing creative sense of humour and he used these skills to incorporate music, film, photographs and laughter into so many of our events. My heartfelt  condolences to his family.  Bob... you will be missed by so many.

I was deeply saddened to hear about Bob’s passing.  He was  a quiet but fierce force in imagining what was possible for our sons and daughters living with a developmental disability.  As a parent, I could always reach out to him for his perspective and guidance.  I am grateful for his passion and to the contributions he made in ensuring people living with disabilities are viewed as valued members of their communities.   May you gain strength in knowing Bob made a difference!

Bob was my first cabin leader when I worked at Shadow Lake Camp as a 17 year old. He introduced me to some great music and we had lots of laughs (once I caught on to his unique dry sense of humour). Of course Bob  went on to become a preeminent Shadow Lake historian. His video productions were legendary- funny ,  thoughtful and touching.  His work for CLTO and in the developmental services sector was significant and well respected. My condolences to the family and his many friends.  I’ll be listening to some select tunes, toasting and remembering.

Bob was one of my  favourite people that I ever encountered at Community Living Toronto.  I will always remember our laughs and his endless humor.  He made the hardest tasks and situations bearable.  I thought of Bob as a leader and valued his guidance.  Bob was a gentle, caring, and kind hearted person.
Nothing I can say will ease your grief, but I am forever sorry for your loss.

Both Marisa and I are very sad to hear about Bob's passing. He was a good friend and helped us out so much at Shadow Lake Centre.  He will certainly be missed by camp staff, parents and guests.

Both of us are better people for having Bob in our lives.

Gary and Marisa Ouellette

Bob was a gentle and kind soul. I was so lucky to have him as my manager for a few years before he retired. 

He was so animated when he took me on my first tour of Shadow Lake and his ability to remember the history of all things CLToronto was incredible.     

One of his last emails to me was... 'sounds good. I think we are on the right track'. He was always so encouraging and supportive. I'm forever thankful to have these wonderful memories and I wish the family peace and comfort during this hard time.

To the Ferguson family:  My sincere condolences.  I am saddened to hear of the passing of Bob Ferguson.  I first met him when I was a student on placement at North York ADP where he supervised.  What struck me most was his calm demeanor, encouragement and the way he cared about meeting the needs and goals of all those  under his  care.  He will surely be missed.

It was my great pleasure and privilege to work  with Bob at Community Living Toronto.  Bob’s calm demeanour, passion for the work, and humour make him a fantastic colleague and friend.  He always put the people we support first.   Bob’s family always came first and his decision to retire to be able to enter the next phase of his life is something that I greatly admired.  Bob will be missed tremendously and always remembered.

Bob was probably the most caring and friendliest person I have ever met,  He never had a negative thing to say about anyone. Bob hired me right from my student placement(1994)  and although our paths didn't cross much during our time @ CLTO- he was always a driving force to centre our work around the People we support! Which speaks so much about who he was.
Thank you Bob for your genuine  kindness that was your trademark. 
Sending love and condolences to his family and friends.

Bob was not only caring and dedicated to people supported by Community Living Toronto, he was invested in his colleagues and teams. He was creative, thoughtful and working with him was fun. Whenever there was an event, one could be certain that a myriad of pictures and videos would make an appearance compliments of Bob Ferguson! He was also a supporter of  physical fitness and a balanced work life…we enjoyed many great laughs on the basketball court after work. I am thankful for the wonderful memories.  Condolences to Carol and family.

So sorry to hear about Bob.  Sending condolences to his family.  I had the pleasure of working with Bob at The North York ADP some of the best memories of my career. He will be greatly missed.

Love and peace to the Ferguson family during this difficult time. May fond memories of your experiences with Bob comfort you, as well as knowing how valued he was with those he worked with in the sector.

I had the pleasure of working with Bob when he supported the Toronto Service Providers Team. It was a pleasure to work with him and I extend my condolences to his immediate and extended family and his many friends. I hope everyone's many wonderful memories of Bob will bring everyone some peace during this difficult period of time.

Working with  Bob Ferguson  on the North York management team for years was a genuine pleasure.  Bob's dedication,  kind hearted nature,  creative ideas and principled leadership was focused on making lives better for the individuals in service and their families. Bob' s teamwork skills and enthusiasm made every project better. Community Living Toronto is better for his outstanding  work snd commitment.

I want to send my deeply felt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.  He will rest in love.

John McNicholas

Bob was my Manager a few times when I worked in the Family Support Department in North York Region. I left and came back to the department. Bob was always extremely supportive, easy going and easy to talk to, which I often did about some of my more challenging cases. He had a great dry sense of humor which often left me wondering whether he was kidding or not. 

One of my fondest memories is a retreat the North York Team did at Shadow Lake one year. I can remember it clearly. It was March, there was snow still on the ground and Bob took us out for a brisk walk around the camp. Bob just laughed at me as he could see I was so annoyed at having to trudge through melting snow and mud for what seemed miles to me at the time. 

When I became the Short Term FSW Bob gave me the support, encouragement and freedom to take the position in a certain direction and mold it into what it is today. I will be forever grateful to Bob for giving me the opportunities he did.

To his family my thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Bob will never be forgotten.

I have been quietly reading many of the memories shared by other members of the Community Living Toronto family. Those stories really depict Bob's character and gifts he shared during his years working at CLTO and within the sector at large. 
Bob hired me as the Membership Coordinator for the North York Community Support team in 2005. As my manager, Bob always was supportive and encouraging in my growth within this position. As others have said, he always had an open door to sit and discuss work and personal issues. I remember discussing politics with Bob. We had opposing views in this area and he was always respectful in our agreement to disagree. 
Bob was extremely dedicated to the DS sector and advocated strongly for partnerships with other organizations so that CLTO could reach new comer families who needed to know about services for their loved ones. As the Service Development Manager he worked tirelessly to nurture community partnerships. 
Bob was also so dedicated to Shadow Lake where he started employment with CLTO. He lead the staff Alumni initiative and worked really hard to keep the Shadow Lake staff connected beyond their years of working at the camp.
Bob was also the holder of so much of the history of Shadow Lake and CLTO. He loved sharing that history. His extensive video and photo library was legendary. I'm not sure how he managed to gather so much but he frequently surprised staff at special events with photos and film footage of them from way in their past. I personally encountered this experience a number of times. Bob was truly delighted by my reaction and the reaction from others during those instances. 
Bob touched so many lives during his years at CLTO and I am sure outside of his work.
I hope that the family will find some comfort from sharing memories of him and reading about how he impacted so many others.
My deepest condolences to his family at this most difficult time.

Wendy

I was fortunate enough to work with Bob near the end of his time at Community Living Toronto. He was a genuine, thoughtful person -  a true leader, and a true advocate for the people we support. My thoughts are with you at this difficult time.

I was under Bob's wonderful leadership when I was a Family Support Worker in North York.   Bob created a very comfortable and supportive environment; it was easy to go to his office and talk to him about both work and non-work related issues.   His sense of humor, his quiet confidence,  his commitment to his work, his team and the sector as a whole did not go unnoticed.  Bob always had a way of making you feel valued, important and acknowledged.  I am so grateful that I knew Bob, he has left an imprint that will not be forgotten.  

To Carol and the boys and the rest of the family, my thoughts and prayers are with you. May you find comfort in knowing that Bob was well loved and his contribution to the Developmental Sector and to the lives of those he worked with will never be forgotten.  May you find strength and courage to as you face a new tomorrow.

I am so sad to hear this and my heart goes out to Bobs's family.  

Bob was a colleague, friend and mentor to me.  He knew his stuff and was a great advocate in the developmental sector.  He infused fun and laughter into the work we did in a very special way; most of it memorialized on video that became part of his extensive library.   :)

I always missed him at work when he retired, and miss him dearly now from staying in touch through the years after.

Hello Family,

please accept my condolence. Bob was My manager for many years and we worked side by side for years with some projects. He was not only my manger but he was like a big brother to me. i shared with him many stories about my family and my community. he was  an amazing person who was very supportive to his staff and never judge anyone one. 
anyone one who needs his support he was there for all his staff.
he was loved by everyone included me.
layla ibrahim

Sending my deepest condolences to you, Carol, and everyone else who was touched by Bob’s life. Bob was such a gentle and kind-hearted person and such a huge source of inspiration and strength. I am so numbed by the void his passing leaves and can scarcely imagine what this would mean to you. His loving memories will help fill some of it and provide the strength and fortitude to bear this great loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this very difficult time. Sincerely,
Deepak

Sending my heartfelt condolences to the family during this difficult time. I'm deeply sorry for your loss. Bob was an incredibly genuine human being who has made a profound  impact on those of us who knew him at CLTO and within the Developmental Services Sector.  His legacy and memory will continue to inspire us all. May cherished memories bring you comfort and strength.

We have all benefited greatly from having Bob in our lives.  A man of quiet strength, great humour, values and talents that made him such a pillar and incredible leader at Community Living Toronto.  His legacy will long be celebrated.  My heartfelt condolences for your loss.

Sue

I do not know what to say to you and your family that would help you in this most difficult time. 

What I can say is Bob was an amazing human being, but I know you already know that. My time working with him at Community Living Toronto were some of the most fun and rewarding years of my life.
I would like to thank you and your family for sharing Bob with us, he was truly remarkable. 

Sincerely 

Robert Bingham

OBITUARIO

Robert "Bob" Joseph Ferguson

12 septiembre, 1962 – 25 enero, 2024

Thompson Funeral Home

Muestre su apoyo

Comparta Un Recuerdo

Comparta
Un Obituario

Obtenga actualizaciones

Servicios