Thomas Harold Williams
December 2, 1954 - January 28, 2003
The Early Years
He was born in Buckingham, Quebec (near Hull). He was the third of seven children.
At an early age his grandfather nicknamed him "Tucker" from the nursery
rhyme, "Little Tommy Tucker". That got shortened to "Tuck"
and it stuck! His father was an alcoholic who abandoned the family. His mother
died when he was 11. The children were dispersed to live with other family members.
Tuck went to Brownsburg, Quebec to live with his Grandfather. He died soon after
Tuck arrived. He ended up in a strange living arrangement where he slept at
the home of his bachelor Uncle, but ate his meals with his two great Aunts.
His teenage years were spent going between the care of those 3 single adults.
His Faith Walk
When he was about 7 or 8, his mother dropped him off at Sunday School. Being
a mischievous character, he snuck out of Sunday School and decided to see what
the adults were doing upstairs in church. Not knowing any better, he went right
up to the front and sat in the center of the first row. The Minister said something
about inviting Jesus into your heart. In child-like innocence and faith he did
just that.
Due to the turmoil in his home life, he became quite a trouble maker. In his
teen years he got into drinking and drugs. When he was 17 he stumbled in to
a Drop-In Centre Christian outreach. He came back day after day to talk about
his situation, vent his feelings, and ask questions. Bit by bit the Lord healed
his many hurts, forgave his sins, and Tuck rededicated his life to the Lord.
He never looked back!
The Two Become One
That Drop-In Centre in Brownsburg was where Tuck and Ruth met in the summer
of 1972. For the first 6 months they were just friends, but a romantic relationship
grew out of that trust. They were married in Montreal on July 12, 1975. They
moved to Ontario in 1977. They were blessed with three wonderful children ...
Mason in 1981, Luke in 1985, and Hannah in 1987.
Plugs and Wires
Tuck's uncle wisely advised him to get a trade. This was probably due to the
fact that he was tired of Tuck taking everything apart to see how it worked!
He started his study of electricity in high school, then went on to complete
his apprenticeship. Following that, he got his Master Electrician licence. He
was hired by Wolverine Tube in 1979. He worked as a maintenance electrician
for 14 years, then moved in to the engineering department where he helped to
oversee electrical projects. He absolutely loved his job and often said how
blessed he was to be paid for doing something he enjoyed so much.
The Health Journey
In 1988 Tuck was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. He received intense radiation
treatment which cured that problem, but created a whole lot more. In 1995 it
was discovered he had low grade lymphoma. In 1997 he needed a quadruple bypass.
His daily life was challenging as he carried on with a host of medications,
ongoing tests, and physical limitations.
Believe it or not, he was actually thankful for all he went through. It changed
his perspective on life. He was grateful for each new day, viewing it as a gift
from the Lord. He appreciated the blessings he had been given and chose to focus
on them, rather than on his limitations.
The Character of the Man
A French proverb states: "Nothing so strong as gentleness, nothing so gentle
as real strength".
To me, that has always summarized Tuck's character. He was quiet and gentle
but had incredible inner strength. He was a behind-the-scenes kind of guy, dependable
and faithful. He had a unique sense of humour. He loved nature, music, photography
and technology. He was not perfect, but overall an easy guy to love.
The Photo
Attached is a picture taken by a friend this past Thanksgiving. It was taken
in our prayer cellar as we were standing in front of a tapestry of "The
Good Shepherd". Right from the beginning it's been the three of us! The
Lord brought us together, held us together, and has been an integral part of
our relationship. We made it our practice to pray together everyday. As I am
writing this my heart is grieving at my loss, but at the same time rejoicing
to know Tuck is with Jesus.
Celebration of his Life
On Saturday, February 1at 1:30, there will be a memorial service to celebrate
Tuck's life. You are all invited to join us. It will be at North Park Community
Church, 1510 Fanshawe Park Road E. (401 to Highbury St. north - approx. 12KM
to Fanshawe Park, turn right)
If you wish to make a donation in his honour, you may choose any charity close
to your heart. Two charities that Tuck appreciated are:
Faith Community Christian School
7 Howard Ave., London ON N6P 1B3
Operation Outreach
1274 Greenwood Cres.,
Oakville ON L6J 6W2
Written by his loving wife,
Ruth
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