Obituary of Timothy H. Topper
Tim died Friday, February 28, 2025 at Freeport Campus of Grand River Hospital from cancer.
He was loved and will be missed by his wife Joyce, his children: Tim and his partner Mary, Anne, and Jane and her husband Mike; by his beloved grandchildren: Malanka, Sophia, Kenneth, Joshua, Nikola and Alexandra Angel; his great grandchildren: Slater, Wylder, and Elena; and by his long-time partner Antonieta Soares.
Tim grew up on the family farm in Kleinburg. Despite the death of his mother Ida when he was young he had a simple, happy childhood with his younger sisters Wanda and Doreen and his father Garnet. He grew up with little, but was always ready to share, especially his time. Despite liking farm life he decided that he wanted to go to university rather than follow in his father’s footsteps.
In 1959 Tim graduated in Civil engineering from the University of Toronto where he met and married Joyce Kobil. Upon graduation he received an Athlone fellowship to Cambridge University in England, graduating with a PhD. In 1962 he moved to Waterloo with his wife and infant son Tim to start working as a professor at the University of Waterloo. He did retire from lecturing, but did not give up running the fatigue lab and having graduate students, most of whom became friends and kept in touch with him, until near his death.
Tim loved to fish and always felt a connection to farmland and rural life so in 1972 he bought a farm near Listowel. He spent much time surveying the farm with the help of his son Tim so that he could plan the best location for trout ponds which were eventually dug and stocked. The farm provided a calm get-away from his work at the university and his consulting work, and also provided a place for get togethers with his numerous current and former students. Tim also loved his cars, especially his bright yellow Shelby. In addition, he travelled the globe speaking at many conferences as a renowned authority on metal fatigue.
As his family grew, he enjoyed visits from his grandchildren and great grandchildren and always encouraged and supported them in their education and careers.
We will always love him.
As Tim wished, there will be no funeral or memorial service. The family will celebrate his life privately.
A special thank you to all the staff at Grand River hospital, the cancer centre and Freeport for their wonderful care.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Grand River Hospital Foundation - Emergency Department would be appreciated and may be arranged through www.erbgood.com.