Obituary of Theodore "Dick" Gerard Tyssen
Dick passed away peacefully on August 11, 2023, in his 92nd year.
He’ll be sadly missed by sons Jeff (Michelle) Tyssen and Bob (Lorrie) Tyssen, daughter Marie Tyssen (Randy Snitman) and son-in-law Joel (Heidi) Nelson. He’ll be dearly missed by his nine beloved grandchildren, his two great-grandchildren, and his sisters Wil, Joke, Bep and Eva, brothers Piet and Hans, and sister-in-law Deirdre.
He was predeceased by his dear wife Diane, daughter Susan, brothers Hans, Henk and Leo and sisters Corrie and Rie.
Dick lived a full and rewarding life. He was born in Holland and served in the Dutch Air Force before immigrating to Canada on his own at the age of 20. While working at a variety of jobs, he continued his education on a part-time basis, mostly in the evenings. This resulted in his achieving an Undergraduate Degree in Industrial Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from York University, Toronto.
He retired from The Seagram Company in 1997, after having held the positions of VP of Sales, Canada, and Executive Director of The Seagram Museum (which brought the family to Waterloo). He was a very enthusiastic competitive sailor from the family cottage at Lake Simcoe and was Commodore of the Lagoon City Yacht Club. He was also keen on travelling, and enjoyed many wine tours throughout Europe, South America, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. As well, he spent many winters in Florida and on cruises and vacations to the Caribbean, Hawaii, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. While still working, Dick wrote two non-fiction books, one of which “The First Time Sales Manager” was a Canadian best-seller and was published in five different languages. In his retirement he also wrote a brief autobiography with a focus on his first 20 years in Holland, so his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren could understand what shaped his life.
Cremation has taken place and at Dick’s request, there will be no visitation and the funeral service will be a private family affair. Dick would prefer that you remember him as you last saw him – sailing his beloved CS-30 at Lake Simcoe, writing, tending his wonderful garden or socializing happily with family and friends.
Condolences for the family and donations to a Charity of one’s choice may be arranged at www.erbgood.com