We are saddened to share the news of Tom Johnstone’s passing at the age of 71, on April 8, 2026. He was a loving husband to Beth, a fantastic father to Robbie (Sara Contreras) and Jessica (Christopher Guard), and a proud grandfather to Elaina. Tom will also be missed by his brother Doug, sister-in-law Susan, and niece Anna. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ron and Mickey Johnstone, whose cottage community on Lake Temagami felt like home to him.
Getting to know Tom meant discovering an amazing person. His curiosity knew no bounds; he embraced new interests and challenges with enthusiasm. Tom had a knack for engaging others in conversation, often leaving them laughing thanks to his great sense of humor. He truly listened and connected with people in ways that made everyone feel valued.
Tom spent his childhood in London, Ontario, but cherished every summer he spent at Camp White Bear. His time there shaped him and led to many lasting friendships.
The love of his life, Beth, came into his world while they were both working at the Rocky Mountain YMCA near Canmore, Alberta. They shared wonderful times together in the early eighties while Tom served as Operations Manager for the camp. Eventually drawn back to Lake Temagami, they settled in the Orillia area in 1989 and found their dream home in Oro-Medonte after years of searching. Together with his family, Tom dedicated himself to renovating their farmhouse into a warm gathering place for loved ones.
You can see Tom’s skilled construction work all around Orillia. He had a unique ability to connect personally with clients which often blossomed into friendships. A creative and hard-working volunteer at heart, he contributed significantly to local events like the Mariposa Folk Festival and Orillia Spring Blues Festival while also helping develop Streets Alive. Additionally, he was committed to giving back through Canadian Blood Services where he donated over 100 times.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Mike Odlozinski for his compassionate care during this time. Our gratitude also goes out to the staff at Mariposa House Hospice for creating such a peaceful environment for Tom and his family during his final days.
A Celebration of Tom’s life will take place at St. Paul’s Centre located at 62 Peter St N in Orillia on Saturday, April 25th at 1 p. m. For those who can’t attend in person please join via this link https://urldefense. com/v3/__https://youtube.com/live/Yq CUA_r UB9A__;!! B209r Idvv A! b PNV1DV0s HRi Dj_g CFm X7W0Fgf Hpi Czs QXEM-l Nl3Hlx TT2j Ft3mt PAGo93w N2Dmwuf KAnznv Zp Jokh Nvyg VXj_V$ . Receptiondownstairs.
If you’d like to honor Tom’s memory, donations can be made in his name to Mariposa House Hospice. Arrangements have been entrusted to Mundell Funeral Home.
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