Thomas William Lidstone

THOMAS WILLIAM LIDSTONE father, husband, brother, storyteller, sailor, adventurer, and friend.

13 July 1946 – 16 July 2023

Thomas William Lidstone, ‘Pop’ lost his brave fight with cancer and passed away peacefully at home in Kits Point on Sunday July 16 2023 beside the love of his life, best friend, and wife, Linda. His favorite nurse Katherine was by his side to the very end.

Tom the gentle giant was born in Verdun, Quebec on Friday 13 July 1946. Pop grew up in Montreal and lived in Longueil QC, Milton Ontario, Delta BC and Melbourne Australia but he truly found his home in Kits Point. Tom is survived by his devoted wife of 53 years Linda Frances Bertrand Lidstone, daughter Christine Lidstone Sweet (and husband Zane), daughter Katherine Lidstone and daughter Elizabeth Knight (and husband Mike). He was a wonderful and kind Pop to his grandchildren Dylan (14), Lucie (11), Finn (11) and Emma (9) who adored him and will miss his stories and his gigantic hugs. Tom will also be greatly missed by his bro’s, Ralph and Randy Lidstone, and all of his extended family and friends in British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and California.

Tom’s professional life was devoted to one of his passions- airplanes. Pop started working at Pratt & Whitney in Montreal and moved on to work with CP Rail and finally Air Canada where he transferred from Montreal to Toronto in 1979, and then from Toronto to Vancouver in 1988. In 2001 after 30 years, Pop ‘retired’ and moved to Australia where he worked and explored Australia and NZ with Linda by his side. A few years and many visits later Tom and Linda returned to Vancouver and found a new home in Kits Point.

Tom loved retired life, traveling the world with Linda. Pop explored many countries but his favorite place to travel to was to an LFV (Lidstone Family vacations) because spending time with his family always came first. In his retirement Pop devoted much of his time to another of his passions- the sea. Tom started volunteering for the SS Master Society where you could find him every Saturday, rain or shine, working on the Master, hosting tours or attending meetings as a member of the board. Also In his retirement Tom was a volunteer when his favorite city- Vancouver- hosted the Olympics in 2010. Pop was a driver for the athletes and Judges, and attended the opening ceremonies and many events- a real life Quatchi.

Tom lived life to the fullest and wasn’t afraid to take chances in search of adventure. Tom loved to go skiing with his daughters and his grandchildren in Beautiful BC, walking along the ocean and watching F1 racing, so much so that he attended races in Australia, Monaco, Shanghai and Montreal (many times). Pop had a passion for sailing and traveling the world but most of all Pop loved driving the lovely Linda around Kitsilano in his 1964 cherry red MGB.

If you were lucky enough to be close to Tom Lidstone you loved him. Having Pop in your corner was like winning the lottery for life- you knew he would never let you down. His family are impossibly sad but will move forward as he would have wanted- forever in love and in honor of the memory of the gentle giant who lived such a full life but left us much too soon.

Tom chose to be cremated and his family will hold a private celebration of his wonderful life in his memory in Kits Point. In lieu of flowers a donation may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society in memory of Thomas William Lidstone, the Gentle Giant.

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Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.vancouvercrematorium.com for the Lidstone family.