TOM HEATH
Return to All Inductees
Tom was born in Chatham in 1953, was raised in Wallaceburg.
He attended Wallaceburg District Secondary School, from 1967-1972, graduating with an Ontario Secondary School honours Diploma. Tom received a Diploma in Recreation Leadership from Fanshawe College, London in 1976. He has also taken courses towards a Communication Studies Degree at the University of Windsor.
Tom played a number of sports growing up in Wallaceburg but excelled in two. Lacrosse and Hockey. He also coached minor lacrosse and was the Team Statistician for the Wallaceburg Lakers in their inaugural season in 1972-73 in the Great Lakes Junior “C” Hockey League. He was a Board Member and the Public Address Announcer for the Wallaceburg Jr. Red Devils Lacrosse team for a number of years.
His parent’s Max and Agnes, are both active volunteers in Wallaceburg. The lesson that “Service to Humanity is the Best Work of Life” was instilled in Tom, his four younger brothers and sister early in their lives.
Tom has been actively involved with the Chatham Jr. Maroons and the Chatham Maroons Alumni for 15 years in various capacities. He currently assists with Marketing and Public Relations for the Junior Maroons.
Besides being involved with the Maroons when they won the Sutherland cup in 1998-99, the highlights of his volunteer activities with the Maroons and the alumni came in 1999-2000 and in 2002.
In 1999, the Maroon Alumni presented him with a plaque, “In appreciation of his efforts and dedication in co-ordinating the Legends on Ice Showcase”.
Tom’s son, Brennan and daughter, Ashley both spent countless hours, assisting in the setting up of the legends showcases before moving on to University in Toronto and Ottawa respectively. Ashley was also the Maroons national anthem singer for 5 years.
He was awarded the “Kelly Hearn Award” by the Western Junior “B” League for his “Outstanding Service to the Western Jr. B hockey League in an Unpaid Capacity” in 1999-2000.
In 2002, Tom was the recipient of the “The J.S. Jack Peifer Award” presented at the annual Alumni Annual Golf Tournament.
Tom is currently Secretary of the Chatham Sports Hall of Fame Board of Directors, and recently has been elected to the Board of Directors for the Ontario Amputees and les Autres Sports Association (OALASA).
He is an active member of the annual United Way Fundraising Campaign, organizing
United Way Nights” with the 5 Chatham-Kent Junior Hockey Teams. He is a member of the Golden K Kiwanis Club of Chatham and both Tom and Helen are active members of the Dresden Christian Reform Church.
He is a past Chairman of the Festival of Nations (1995), past member of the Chatham Advisory Committee on Recreation for the Disabled, former coach with Ladies Slow Pitch Baseball, Past Chair of the United Fund Distribution Committee, former coach Chatham Minor Baseball, a past member of the YMCA Board of Directors and more recently a member of the Capital Fundraising Committee for the new YMCA.
Formerly employed by Chatham Coach Lines and Blackburn Radio (CFCO), Tom is currently retired.
Tom and Helen have been married for 8 years. Tom’s son Brennan and his wife Jackie live in Chelsea, Quebec while Tom’s daughter Ashley and her husband David Whitmarsh, live in Beijing, China.
Helen has 3 sons, the oldest Captain Tyler McNaughton is stationed in Camp Petawawa while her other two sons D’Arcy and Morgan live in Toronto.