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CFL Alumnus Dawson Tilley Passes

TILLEY, Dawson Herbert
December 13, 1930 – November 27, 2020

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved father and grandfather at the Teresa Dellar Palliative Care residence on November 27, 2020.

Loving husband to the late Marie Joyce Kent for 59 years, and proud father of Michael of Coloma, MI; the late Stephen (Nancy) of Toronto, ON; and James of Montreal, QC. Wonderful grandfather of Aidan, Olivia, Nicholas and Matthew. Survived by his brother John (late Heather) of Burlington, ON and the late brother-in-law Leonard Kent and sister-in-law Barbara Pattee-Kent, of Canton Stanstead, QC; and the late brother-in-law John Kent and sister-in-law Sandra Kent of Ottawa, ON; and sister-in-law-Rosalie Smith and Brother-in-law Buck Smith of Massena, NY

Dawson was born in Montreal, the son of Ada Monks and Norman Saint Clair Tilley and grew up in the Hampstead/NDG area of Montreal. Dawson was an accomplished athlete and excelled at many sports. He played elite level hockey (Montreal Jr. Canadiens) and had a long career in football starting at West Hill High School, then McGill University Football Club and most notably for his hometown Montreal Alouettes. Many of his life long friendships and professional associations were as a result of his participation in sports.

Dawson graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from McGill University in 1952 and after playing one season with the Alouettes had a long and distinguished career in the accounting profession. His accounting career started with Riddell Stead in Montreal. In 1970 Dawson and the family moved to Calgary where he and the family spent 5 wonderful years working hard and playing hard. Dawson made and renewed many wonderful friendships while in Calgary and he always looked back on the time spent there fondly. Then back to Montreal in 1975 where he was Senior Regional Partner in charge of Quebec from which he retired in the late ’80s. Ultimately, he was recognized for his dedicated service to the profession with the honorary title of FCA (Fellow of Chartered Accountants). After retirement from the firm he worked with First Air and Air Inuit and Makivik as a senior executive and board member. Dawson had many friends and fine memories from his travels in the north of Canada. He had the opportunity to explore much of the North including Great Slave Lake, N.W.T., and Baffin Island and many other locations in Nunavut.

He was a kind and generous man who gave back to the communities he grew up in. He was involved with many organizations throughout his life and served in many leadership roles. The Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation and the McGill University Martlet Foundation are notable organizations where he focused his time and energy.

Dawson was an outdoorsman and his passion for fishing and hunting took him across Canada. He was a collector of antique duck decoys and in later years took up the hobby of decoy carving and painting. Dawson was an avid golfer who passed his love of the sport on to his sons and grandchildren. He and Marie were long standing members of Beaconsfield Golf Club and Royal Montreal Golf Club.

The Tilley family would like to thank the dedicated doctors, nurses and staff at the Lakeshore General Hospital, the Catherine Booth Rehabilitation Centre in Montreal and the Teresa Dellar Palliative Care Residence staff for providing him with compassion, care and comfort. A celebration of Dawson’s life, will take place in late spring or early summer of 2021.

Messages of condolences can be shared with the family at (www.dignitymemorial.ca)

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Lakeshore General Hospital Foundation (LGH) or the Teresa Dellar Palliative Care Residence.Published on December 12, 2020

VIA: https://montrealgazette.remembering.ca/obituary/dawson-tilley-1081148947
Picture by cflpedia

 

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