Thomas Valstar

Thomas Valstar passed away on Friday, June 12, 2026, at the age of 93 years. He was the beloved husband of Rita, whom he had known his entire life and shared a married life with for almost 72 years, having married on July 24, 1954. Tom was the proud father of Joyce, who was predeceased by her husband Jim Wright, Gord and his wife Wilma, and Shirley, who was predeceased by her husband Wayne Bennett. He was the loving Opa to six grandsons, Steven and his wife Lori, Mark and his wife Jackie, the late Stephen, Jake and his wife Mandy, Nick and his wife Ashley, and Jason and his wife Ali. Tom was also a proud Great Opa to 12 great-grandchildren, Nathan, Luke, Caleb, Elyse, Sara, Owen, Thomas, Thijs, Jocelyn, Heidi, Sophia, and little Dini. Tom was born in the town of De Lier in the Netherlands to his parents Cornelis and Johanna Valstar and was the oldest brother to nine siblings, including the late Annie and her husband John Tadema, Corrie and her late husband Dick Vanderende, the late Mike and his wife Carmela, the late Leonard, Cory and his wife Heather, Leen and his wife Jenny, the late John, Nellie and her husband Ed Burley, and Bill and his wife Nancy. He will be fondly missed by many nephews and nieces. Tom adored his dogs, Duke, Sparky, and Charlie. He was the founder of Scott Street Greenhouses Ltd., which he started with Rita in 1972, and the family legacy has continued with his son Gord and currently with his grandsons Steve and Mark. Prior to the greenhouse business, Tom was a proud truck driver for Laidlaw transport, driving alongside three of his brothers.