Roy Fraser Tanton

Born on Halifax in 1923, he was the son of the late Ethel Christeen Fraser and Laurence Roy Tanton, and son-in-law of the late Selena and Reginald Murphy, all of Halifax. Roy’s wife of 61 ½ years, Joy Elizabeth (Murphy), his two daughters and their husbands, Wendy and David Harrison and Barbara and the late Cameron MacKeigan, his grandchildren Robyn, Carolyn (Neil Gabourie), and Laura Harrison; Caitlin and Patrick MacKeigan; and great-grandchildren, Kale and Luke Gabourie, were the centre of his life. He was close to and enjoyed many happy times in Glen Haven with his sister-in-law Helen (who passed away May 17, 2010) and her late husband Andy Duffus.

Roy was a mechanical engineer, who graduated from the Nova Scotia Technical College. He was a fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada, and a member of the Association of Professional Engineers. Roy began his career in 1950 with the Nova Scotia Light and Power Company (later the Nova Scotia Power Corporation) and eventually became responsible for the corporation’s marketing division and customer service. He served on the Council of the Halifax Board of Trade, Chair of the Military Affairs Committee, and was a long time member of the United Service Institute.

Active in the militia for many years, Roy qualified in Kingston, Ontario as a lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Signals Corps early in 1945 and joined the East Coast Signal Regiment in 1946. Roy rose through the ranks, retiring in 1964 as the Commanding Officer of the 6th Signal Regiment. In 1970, he was recalled to become the first Commander of the Western Nova Scotia Militia District and in 1972 was promoted to Brigadier-General in command of the Militia Area Atlantic.

Roy was acknowledged in 2009 for fifty years of service as an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Saint David; the church’s longest serving active elder. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and the Scottish Rite, receiving his 50 year jewel from the Ionic Lodge in 2007. He was an accomplished musician and fly fisherman and he spent many a happy evening in the Halifax Curling Club, the Saraguay Club and the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron.

The family would like to thank all the members of the health care team who cared for Roy. It was reassuring to him that his last week of life was spent in the Halifax Infirmary, a hospital he loved, and where he had once served as a member of the Board of Directors.

The service to honour Roy’s Life will be held at the Presbyterian Church of Saint David, 11am on Wednesday, May 26, 2010; the Reverend D. Laurence Mawhinney presiding. In lieu of visitation, there will be a reception in the church hall following the service. The family requests in lieu of flowers, donation may be made to the Presbyterian Church of Saint David or a charity of your choice. To place a message of condolence please visit www.jasnowfuneralhome.com.