Thomas Barry Gillis

Gillis, Thomas Barry, age 88, of Antigonish and formerly of North Sydney, passed away on November 16, 2024 at Highcrest Nursing Home in Sherbrooke. His family was with him and he has been reunited with Cammy. For this we are thankful. 

Born in North Sydney in 1936, Barry was the son of the late Martin and Nora (Harte) Gillis. He spent a considerable part of his childhood in Grand Narrows and Iona where his father was stationmaster. This beautiful area of Cape Breton remained in his heart, and he always enjoyed his visits there. He often spoke of working on the railway as a young man, and was part of the crew that laid the tracks on the Canso Causeway. 

In 1966, Barry began his long employment with Canada Post as one of the original letter carriers in North Sydney. He made many friends both at the post office and along his route. He enjoyed his job immensely. 

Barry and Carmella ‘Cammy’ married in 1967. They settled in North Sydney and together made wonderful contributions to the community. A man of strong Catholic faith, Barry was very involved in the church and the ministries that came along with it. He was a long-time volunteer with the Scouts and also served as District Commissioner. He and Cammy were awarded North Sydney ‘Citizens of the Year’ in 1974. 

Hockey was Barry’s passion, and he both played and coached for many years. He was a member of the Bras d’Or Lakers hockey team and later went on to coach with North Sydney Minor Hockey. In keeping with his character, he always believed everyone should get equal ice time and treated all players the same. Along with Edwin Barry and Chad, he remained a devoted (and disappointed) fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was also a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers and wore his hat with pride.

Barry loved his Cape Breton fiddle music and took lessons after he retired. The music brought him great joy and he will once again enjoy it in heaven.

Barry welcomed into his kids’ lives Lisa, Carla and Mark and they recognized in him what we always knew, that ‘God broke the mold when he made Barry’, as Cammy would often say.

Barry and Cammy moved to Antigonish in 2020 to be closer to family and enjoyed many visits from nearby grandchildren as they settled into their new life. As his kids, we could never have asked for a better role model. Da was patient, kind and always put his family first.

Along with Ma, he steadfastly supported us in education, sports, music, highland games, and in everything that life brings. As his grandchildren grew, he enjoyed watching them thrive. 

Barry is survived by his children Edwin Barry (Lisa), Middle Sackville; Sean (Carla), Antigonish; Thea (Mark) Campbell, Yellowknife. His grandchildren idolized him and will miss him dearly: Chad (Rachel), Mary (Connor), Grace, Nate, Alli, Seanie, Mairin and his great-granddaughters Nora and Elise, who delighted him in recent years.

He will be deeply missed by his surviving family with whom he was very close: Rosaire (John) Young, Ron (Nita) Gillis, Bernadette MacDougall, and Jeannie (Urs) Schweizer. 

Barry is also survived by Cammy’s family Dolores Young, Ethel Tennant, Bernadette (Bill) Dixon, Ida (Ron) Winstanley, Bev Matheson, Maria (Jimmy) Tutty, Wayne (Josie) Matheson, Bernie (Lois) Matheson, Blair (Germaine) Matheson and Reeves (Valerie) Matheson. Barry loved spending time with the Mathesons and they fostered wonderful relationships over the years. The Gillis and Matheson families are large and many nieces and nephews will mourn their Uncle Barry.

Besides his parents, Barry was predeceased by siblings Regina, Mary, Wilma, Florence, Bernadette, Father Joe Gillis, and brothers in law Charlie (Bernadette) MacDougall, Leroy MacDonald, Lloyd (Wilma) Balah and Allan Gillis. Waiting with Cammy to greet him are his Matheson in-laws Murdock, Ida, Gerald, Paul, Owen, Sonny, Yvonne, Mick, Judy and Jimmy Matheson, John Young, John Tennant, and special cousin Eugenie Matheson.

Special thanks and appreciation to the staff of Highcrest Nursing Home in Sherbrooke. The care Da received there was outstanding and a comfort to us.

Cremation has taken place under the care and direction of W.J. Dooley Funeral Home, 107 Pleasant Street, North Sydney. A funeral mass for Barry will be held at 11:00 am, Monday, July 21, 2025, at St. Joseph Church, North Sydney, and will be interred with his wife Cammy in Holy Cross Cemetery. Memorial donations to the North Sydney Food Bank would be appreciated, as Barry was a long-time volunteer. Online condolences can be left for the family by writing on the tribute wall of the obituary.

To the end, a gentleman and a gentle man. Will we ever miss him.  

The Waters of Iona

Far from the scene of childhood days, it was my lot to roam

Across the sea to a foreign land, far from my Highland home,

In dreams, I saw the village where my sad heart longed to be,

Where the waters of Iona rippled down to the deep blue sea.

The village ferry in the stream, the lads and lasses there,

In Highland kilt were dancing while the bagpipes filled the air,

The lowing of the cattle came from ev'ry glen and lea

Where the waters of Iona rippled down to the deep blue sea.

How often in my youthful days, I roamed around the shore,

With my little Highland lassie, Bonnie Mary from Bras d'Or

She sleeps beneath the daisies, guarded by the maple trees,

Where the waters of Iona rippled down to the deep blue sea.

Lillian Crewe Walsh

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