Thomas Alasdair McIelwain

Tom was my professor, employer, mentor, and friend. He encouraged me to pursue a career in law and played a significant role in shaping my professional path. I was deeply saddened to learn of his passing last week. Tom was, and will continue to be remembered as a highly respected engineer whose knowledge, integrity, and generosity left a lasting impression on those who knew him. He touched the lives of so many people, both personally and professionally. I will always be grateful for his guidance and support, and I have only fond memories of our time together. His mentorship and friendship had a profound impact on my life, and he will be greatly missed. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

So sad to hear of Tom's passing. I had the privilege of working with Tom for over 24 years. He was a great leader, mentor and a dear friend. His dedication, integrity, loyalty and compassion were to be admired. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. His legacy will live on through the signifcant contributions he made to his clients, colleagues and community.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Words cannot express how deeply sorry we are. Tom was one of kind! We wish you strength to get through the days and weeks and years ahead. Our deepest sympathy, love, and support.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

I first knew Tom when we worked together at the Ministry of the Environment in Kingston, and later during he and Connie's time in Cambridge. I was privileged to share a friendship with them and to this day have cherished our times together. Tom was a gentle and decent man whom I held in the highest regard.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Our sincere condolences to Connie and her family.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Our deepest condolences to Tom’s family. Our son Shawn was coached in baseball by Tom, great coach, great guy!

It had been awhile since I had last seen Tom, and was saddened to hear of his passing. Ever since I first met him at Golder over 25 years ago, Tom always impressed me with his advocacy for his clients and his determination (even to the point of reading meeting materials on his steering wheel while driving to those meetings). Tom was always generous with his time, knowledge and wisdom, and his advice to me to always remember the client-focused aspect of professional practice continued to serve me well. To all of Tom's family, please accept my condolences and know that Tom's legacy will last in the lives he touched both personally and professionally.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

My condolences to Connie and family.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Tom was one of the nicest people I have had the pleasure to meet and we are so lucky to be able to count him as part of our extended family.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Tom was, without a doubt, one of the most generous people I have ever met. He (and Connie) welcomed me into their home during a very influential time in my life, one that I will be forever grateful for. I will never forget the day he looked at me and said, "well, of course you are going to go to University, what else would you possibly do?" There is no way to express how important these words have been in laying the trajectory of my life. It was his belief in me that solidified my belief in myself. I know that this is the same type of belief he extended to others he came across, both in his work and in our community. That's a powerful thing and a great legacy to be remembered by. While our paths haven't crossed as much in the last 10 years, we have felt the deepest sadness to hear the news of Tom's passing. Connie and family, we are sending you strength and courage to face the days ahead. Much love.

Dear Connie. My prayers, love and thoughts go out to you and your family. Paul remembers fondly working with Tom through the minor basketball league. Love Allison

My sincere condolences to family and extended family

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Northumberland Hills Hospital Foundation

Tom was a profound and positive influence on my career. He inspired me not only with his words, but through his very character. He was a rare blend: knowledgeable yet humble, humorous yet hardworking, and deeply empathetic and emotionally intelligent. Tom still shapes how I view my work and how I interact with everyone around me—whether colleagues, clients, subcontractors, or surprisingly, even my family. My sincere condolences to Tom's family for your loss.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Northumberland Fare Share Food Bank

To Connie, Glenn, Emily, Liz and the extended McIelwain family, it is with deep sadness that I offer sincere condolences for the loss of your husband, father and grandfather. Tom was a remarkable man, with great family support. The hole left by the loss of his love and presence will be felt by all at home, and by many of his co-workers and colleagues in his professional world as well. I met Tom when he joined Golder Associates in Mississauga in 1984. Fresh from a few post-graduate years in northern B.C., Tom embarked on what would be a highly successful consulting career over the next 40 plus years. Consulting was his passion. He was an effective and animated speaker, and had strong personal interactions with co-workers and clients alike. He developed a unique combination of skills and insight within the technical, regulatory and legal framework of environmental and hydrogeological consulting business. His leadership and buoyant personality were true attributes. Once during after-work two-on-two basketball that Tom and I were playing on a Friday within the first couple of years after he joined Golder and prior to his major surgeries. I offered some Leaf-like playoff defense and allowed Tom an easy path to the basket; he immediately called me out and said, “Challenge me!” I’ll never forget his message. The ensuing years would provide Tom with unusually difficult health and physical challenges. Through them all, however, I never heard Tom complain nor ask for sympathy, but I always saw Tom strive to participate and succeed on his terms. His effort, determination, optimism and positive presence all contributed to amazing success. We can all continue to learn from Tom’s unique example. Best wishes to your family in dealing with the sadness and moving forward without such a big man.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Crushed by this news and tremendously thankful to have known Tom. Like many others, my early career and consulting acumen was shaped by Tom - watching and listening to him engage with clients, and give impassioned speeches to his peers at Golder. He taught me how to be a "Big C" consultant - lessons that I carry with me to this day and pass along to my current team whenever I can. What a giant of a man. My sincere condolences to Tom's friends and family. Be comforted in the knowledge of the impact he had and the legacy he leaves

My deepest condolences to you and your family for this loss. Tom was such a great man - he shaped so much of my career, and that of countless others lucky enough to learn from him. May he rest well knowing that his influence will carry on in the industry that he helped shape. He will be missed.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Dear Connie and family, Extending our deepest sympathy to you on the passing of Tom. May he rest in peace 🕊️

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Connie, Glenn, Emily and Liz. Sending you our deepest condolences. Tom was the longest and most influential mentor in my career. He hired me into Golder Associates in 1999 and after our interview, I knew I wanted to work with and learn from him. As others have expressed so well, Tom had a unique ability to guide, challenge, and support those around him. His wisdom wasn’t just in what he said, but in how he showed up every day: steady, thoughtful, and genuinely invested in the success of others. I owe much of my growth, both professionally and personally, to his guidance. I was fortunate not only to be his colleague, but to also get to know him and his family outside of work. I will miss our long chats about how the Blue Jays or Raptors are doing, though we didn’t always see eye to eye during our Maple Leaf vs Red Wing chats! He will be deeply missed, and his impact will continue through all who had the privilege of learning from him.

My sincere condolences to the family. Tom and I were involved in Minor Basketball in Cobourg. He was dedicated, kind and great with the kids. I really enjoyed Tom’s sense of humour and love of basketball.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

Connie and Family- I am very sad to hear of Tom's passing and am sending you my deepest condolences. Tom and I have been colleagues and friends since he joined Golder in 1984. It was always a pleasure to be involved with Tom in anything, whether it was related to work or just talking about sports, our families and what was going on in our lives. When asked if I knew someone with experience on some unusual topic, Tom was always the first person I told them to contact; he knew something about every subject and I knew he would be welcoming and do everything he could to try and help them out. That was Tom's way. He will be greatly missed by all.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

I first met Tom when we were both in the Geological Engineering program at the University of Windsor in the late 70s. Tom hired me for my first job when I graduated in 1981. He was a great teacher and mentor. We worked together again in the late 80s. When I first started working in Prince George Tom and Connie welcomed me and made me feel at home later welcomed Jean when we got married forging a long friendship. Tom and I shared the same dry some may say warped, sense of humour. He was a great friend who could talk on any subject. I am goinng to miss him dearly and my condolences go out to Connie and the families. RIP Tom.

Connie, my sincere condolences to you and your family.

My deepest condolences to you and your family.

I'm truly sorry for the McIelwain family's loss of Tom. Tom hired me, fresh out of undergrad, after interviewing me over dinner. He immediately put me at ease, and made me feel like the privilege of our meeting was his. This carried on during his mentorship of me over the next 5 years. As somebody else already noted, you left a conversation with Tom knowing more and immediately feeling better about whatever had been discussed. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have had Tom at my side as I began my career. He gave me enough rope to explore, but never left enough to hang from. He was there to encourage, acknowledge and catch you when you fell, always selflessly and with a twinkle in his eye. Thank you Tom. I will be forever grateful for your guidance, wisdom, humour and generosity. You will be missed by all who knew and loved you.

Sending our sincere condolences to Connie and her family. Tom was a very interesting person to chat with over the years..He had a heart of gold and an abundance of courage. May he rest in peace . Love Marc, Terri, Katie, Michelle and Jenna Marier.

Liz and family, we are so sorry to hear this news. Thinking about you and sending our deepest condolences. Alan and Christine Potts

I'm am so sorry to hear of the passing of Tom. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. He will be deeply missed by his work colleagues and will be remembered for his kindness, dedication and words of wisdom. Amanda Park

Dear Connie and family. Your characterization of Tom as "generosity and resilience personified" perfectly summarizes in a few words the life of a man who has made an oversized impact on his many colleagues, peers, clients, and students, in addition to his family. His generosity and resilience, along with his perceptive nature and keen intelligence, was a throughline to everything I know about Tom as a colleague, a mentor and a friend.

My sincere condolences to the family. I worked with Tom and enjoyed our numerous chats on work and so much more. He was greatly appreciated by so many and will be deeply missed.

A Memorial Donation has been made to the following charity:

Diabetes Canada

My sincerest condolences to your family on this great loss. I worked with Tom at Golder and considered him a leader in our industry and a mentor. He always made time to answer questions and was always so kind. He will be greatly missed by so many.

What do you do when you meet a Giant? If you are fortunate, you learn from him. If you didn't learn, well, you just weren't listening. Tom was my Mentor at work and in life. He would look up from the complicated spreadsheet infront of him and with few words spoken, you'd be out the door of his office well on your way to success. Tom was the best listener and communicator that I have ever known. His talents were many. The line-up to "just ask Tom a question" was long. Tom spoke proudly of his family not of his accomplishments. Thinking of you and wishing you all peace.

My sincere condolences to Tom's family. I had the great pleasure of working with Tom in the Whitby office of Golder Associates. He was a great mentor and through our conversations I learned so much from Tom. Rest in peace Tom, you will be missed.

I am so very saddened to learn of Tom passing. He was a true gentleman and interesting man. To Connie and the entire McIelwain family, please accept my sincere condolences for your loss.

Please accept my sincere condolences on Tom’s passing. I first met Tom as a professor at the University of Toronto, where I came to deeply appreciate not only his professionalism and expertise in environmental due diligence, but also his generosity in sharing his knowledge with others. I am forever grateful to Tom.

Our deepest condolences to you Liz and all the family. ❤️

Connie,Glen and Family I’m so sorry to hear of Toms passing, he was the best baseball coach back in the day,the kids loved him. Thinking of you all at this sad time may he rest in peace.🙏🥲

Tom was a lovely family man to Connie, their children, and grandchildren. My condolences to all.

Connie and Family, my sincere condolences. Like many, I had the privilege of working with Tom. It was truly an honour and privilege to work alongside side him. He is a legend and the world has lost one of its great leaders. Thank you Tom for everything you did!

Dearest Connie and Family. Sending our sincere condolences. God Bless.

I am very sorry to hear this sad news. Tom was wonderful to work with.

Liz and Glen. My sincere condolences.

My condolences to my sister-in-law and her family. Tom was my sister-in-law Emily’s dad. Tom was a good man. He will be missed dearly. Love Meghan

So sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. I worked closely with him for decades. He was a mentor, role model and longtime friend. One of a very small handful of advisors who could demystify and contextualize densely complicated concepts for lay people, all without a hint of arrogance. He was genuinely exceptional at his calling but he was so much more. He was as hard working and tough-willed as anyone I have known, shouldering major health challenges for most of his life like they were mild distractions. He had a wicked sense of humour, and he rolled it out whenever he could, just to light the place up. Perhaps most endearing, he was a fantastically loyal colleague and friend. He will be deeply missed.

Words are not enough to express the loss we have suffered with Tom's passing. We have lost a great person, a wise advisor, a wonderful husband, father and grandfather, and a true friend. Feels like the loss of a rudder needed to steer the ship. Difficult to fathom not being able to pick up the phone and kibbitz back and forth with Tom, who always made you smile and laugh. You were always smarter and happier after speaking with Tom. So many great memories over so many years across North America. Tom, an absolute giant in his field, was the first hydrogeologist I worked with, and he taught me with great patience and humility. We all have the blessing of having known Tom, which was a gift for which we are grateful and thankful. His life was filled with meaning, and his legacy is massive. I will continue to think of Tom often, with great admiration, affection and gratitude. A life well lived, Tom, thanks for being a friend, mentor, colleague and terrific person.

My sincere condolences. I worked with Tom over the years and he was always a trusted advisor. Again, I’m very sorry for your loss.