James Tomkinson

Obituary of James Allan Tomkinson

Passed away unexpectedly, at the age of 46, at the QEII Hospital in Halifax on Saturday, April 2, 2022, after suffering a stroke. 

Survived by his wife, Angela Tomkinson; children, Connor and Brenlyn; mother, Joan Tomkinson and brother, Jefferson (Pam). Predeceased by his father, Allan Tomkinson and his mother-in-law, Brenda Dolan. He will be remembered with love and laughter by his father-in-law, Joe Dolan and sisters-in-law, Jennifer Ferris (Dave), Stefana Romany (Kyle), Sarah and Sofia Dershko. An abundance of friends whom James considered his extended family, will remember him with a smile.

James dedicated his life to helping others for 17 years as a Senior Emergency Medical Dispatcher with Toronto Paramedic Services, where he also met his wife. In this role he helped save lives and provided comfort and compassion to countless people throughout his career. He had a passion for music and spent many years working as a drum specialist, both in Toronto, Ontario and most recently in Truro, Nova Scotia, and was happiest gigging or jamming with friends, and attending many drum retreats. Growing up in Pickering, Ontario James was heavily involved with Scouts Canada as a child, his Dad was a Scout leader and his biggest mentor. In most recent years, James gave his heart and time to his community by volunteering as a coach with Whitby Minor Baseball Association, as well as fostering for local dog rescues. James was at his best while on the water - boating on the Trent Severn Waterway at his parents home led to bigger boating experiences and incredible memories at Driftwood Cove and on Georgian Bay. James was also an advocate for mental health awareness and always had an ear and sage advice for anyone struggling, as he knew those struggles himself. His devotion to his wife and children led him to give up the rat race and challenging work in Toronto to fulfill a dream of living by the ocean in Nova Scotia to slow down, spend more time as a family and enjoy life to the fullest. Although it was short lived, there are no regrets. In his final act of helping others, James was able to donate his organs with the help of Legacy of Life in Nova Scotia. His family will forever be grateful to the staff at EHS, Colchester East Hants Health Centre and QE2 hospital.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 12welve Bistro & Tapwerks in Whitby, Ontario on Saturday, April 16th, with a private service for family and close friends from 12:00pm-1:00pm and a visitation from 1:00pm-4:00pm for those that would like to pay their respects. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Heart & Stroke Foundation or the #IVEGOTYOURBACK911 campaign. 

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