Thomas (Tom) William Drowns Obituary
London, Ontario, Canada – Tom Drowns died on Friday, August 9, 2024, from multiple myeloma and amyloidosis. These cancers were caught late and progressed rapidly. In August 2018, Tom had a cardiac arrest. Our thanks to Dan Bradfield, a good Samaritan, who saved Tom’s life and gave us all six more years with Tom.
Tom was born in 1961 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He grew up in nearby St. Clair Shores. He had a deep love for his home country.
Tom is survived by his wife, Rosemary Vamos, who he married in 2009. He demonstrated his love for her openly and willingly.
Tom loved his pre-deceased parents Grace (d. 2012) and Jerry Drowns (d. 2016); his four sisters and their husbands: Diana Bangert-Drowns (d. 2023), Tom’s mentor, and Bob Bangert; Anne Drowns and Dave Kezer; Ellen Drowns and Matt Peters; Laura Vish and Ron Vish; and his surviving Aunt Suzie Garrick and Hank Garrick (d. 2023). He also loves his wife’s siblings and partners: Andrew and Donna Vamos, and Linda Fletcher and Terry Page.
Tom is survived by his many nephews, nieces, and cousins – all of whom he loved dearly.
He also discovered that he was a dog lover – thanks to owning both Bokeh, who he picked out when she was a puppy, and Paisley, their ‘Detroit-attitude’ rescue dog.
After graduating from high school in 1979, Tom took an educational route attending several institutions each with different programs (Geology, Business, and IT Science). While on the vocational discovery path, Tom enlisted with the U.S. Army in 1982 and was posted to Alaska. He received an honourable discharge in 1984. In 1989, Tom returned to Walsh College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Business.
Upon graduation, Tom worked for Compuware Corp. and Quicken Loans for a combined total of 29 years. In 2011, Tom had become a permanent resident of Canada after falling in love with Rosemary. Tom and Rosemary wanted one common residence. So he resigned his workplace in 2018 to officially settle in Canada.
Tom met many people who became fast friends while participating in his numerous hobbies: walking, hiking, biking, any adventure related to the outdoors or food (cookies!), photography, keeping abreast of world events, and travelling the globe. But, his favourite place in the world was the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! His ability to retain information allowed him to actively participate in discussions of current events, finances, and/or world destinations.
Tom was intelligent, honest, loyal to his friends, a devoted husband, hard worker, willing to learn new things (like how to cook!), a believer in treating people fairly. He is sorely missed by his extensive network of family members and friends with whom he shared deep affection and many interesting and diverse conversations.
In lieu of flowers, contributions could be made to Anova https://www.anovafuture.org. “Anova’s vision is a world free from violence and trauma, where everyone has equitable access to compassionate support and healing.”
Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Tom’s family on Thursday, August 15, from 2 to 4 p.m. and from 7 to 9 p.m. at Harris Funeral Home at 220 St James St., London, ON N6A 1W9. Tom’s Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, August 16, at 11:30 a.m. also at Harris Funeral Home.