It is with deep sorrow that we announce that Tom Cookson passed away quietly at home with his beloved wife Janice at this side and surrounded by the love and support of family and friends after a 2 year battle with cancer. He was in his 76th year.
Tom us survived by his wife, Janice Hoskins and his daughter Emily Watson (Brad) and his grandchildren, Luke, Aubrey, Isadora & Ewan. He is predeceased by his parents, Cecil T. Cookson and Margaret G. Hughes and his sisters Linda Rawlinson (Barry) and Valerie Greene (Gene).
Tom was born in Vancouver BC on August 24, 1946 and moved with his family to Peterborough as a child. He graduated from Kenner High School and graduated with a degree in Economics from Wilfred Laurier University. He spent 22 years working for Human Resources Development Canada as a senior project officer responsible for overseeing federal economic and employment initiatives in Peterborough County and beyond. He then took early retirement and finished off his career as human resources consultant.
Tom was a traveller. He loved to find those quiet places that tourists hadn’t found yet. His favorite place was southeast Asia, a place he returned to on more than a few occasions and later introduced his wife Janice to the joys and challenges of backpacking to those remote places.
Tom had a wide variety of creative pursuits throughout his life. He was a lifelong audiophile, he loved music and played the guitar; he even was part owner of a music store back in the day. In his younger years, he did woodworking, then he moved on to painting before he finally found his passion in photography. He was a member of the Peterborough Photographic Guild where he found abiding friendships and support as he developed his skills and his vision.
He also loved to keep active throughout his life, running, yoga, golf, swimming, weight lifting and as time went on, he particularly loved to go on long hikes with his dogs, Bella and Max. He was famous amongst his Facebook friends for regularly posting opinion pieces for them to consider and recommending programs he had watched on TV.
He will be deeply missed by family, friends and all who knew him.
The family would also like to thank Dr. John Beamish and the Peterborough Palliative Care Team for all their support over the past few years.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, January 29, 2023 from 1:00 – 4:00pm at 537 Hopkins Avenue, Peterborough, On K9H 2R9
In lieu of flowers, donations to a cancer charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family.