Waterloo Region Generations
A record of the people of Waterloo Region, Ontario.

Hugh John Calderwood

Male 1912 - 2006  (94 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Hugh John Calderwood 
    Born 1912  Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male 
    Military WW2 
    Eby ID Number Waterloo-157476P 
    Died Oct 2006  Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I157476  Generations
    Last Modified 26 Feb 2024 

    Family Lee,   b. Abt 1915,   d. Bef 2006  (Age ~ 90 years) 
    Last Modified 2 Mar 2024 
    Family ID F45077  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • CALDERWOOD, Hugh John - Passed away suddenly at his home in Cambridge in late October 2006. Beloved husband of the late Lee Calderwood for over 60 years. Stalwart father of son Hugh William Calderwood, Hons. B. A. , (high school teacher and golfer) of Richmond Hill, and of daughter Lynne Calderwood, M. A. , G. J. , (writer and jeweller) of Toronto and Cambridge. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1912, the year of the Titanic, Hugh was named after a Calderwood who perished on that fated vessel. He came to Canada as a young teenager, alone, and worked hard to advance himself. Largely self-educated he rose to become a mechanical engineer, salesman, and management executive in the tool and die industry. He retired as longtime President and General Manager of Firth Brown Tools (Canada) Inc. During the Second World War Hugh served in the Royal Canadian Navy as Chief Petty Officer primarily aboard the first Canadian-manned aircraft carrier, the Nabob, until that ship was torpedoed. Hugh was an avid and talented golfer who won many prizes and trophies. His most cherished of these were the record-player and typewriter-table he gave to his young daughter, and all the trophies he later won for Seniors Championships at the Brantford Golf and Country Club. Beginning golf in his 40s, Hugh studied and worked hard at the game he loved to achieve a 3-handicap. In his penultimate decade his golf score could still match his age. Hugh worked and lived by many principles. These included two from the 19th century: "Damn the torpedoes full speed ahead!" and "The heights by great men reached and kept/ Were not attained by sudden flight,/ But they, while their companions slept,/ Were toiling upward in the night. " At Hugh's request there will be no visitation or funeral Service. Cremation has taken place. However, anyone wishing to honour and celebrate Hugh's long life, or to comfort his daughter Lynne, his son Hugh, and their families, may do so by stopping by Coutts Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 96 St. Andrews Street, Cambridge N1S 1M8 (519/621-1650), between the hours of l2 noon to 5 p. m. on Saturday November 18 or Sunday November 19. In lieu of your presence, a written message or flowers or a donation to the charity of your choice would be most welcome. "Fond Memory brings the light/ Of other days/. . . The words of love then spoken;/ The eyes that shone/ Now dimmed and gone. " We have lost another rugged member of that most rugged and 'greatest generation'. We thank you for all that you have given to us. Rest in peace.


      The Record Newspaper 11 Nov 2006

  • Sources 
    1. [S490] News - ON, Waterloo, Kitchener - The Record (1994-March 2008), Obituary of Hugh John Calderwood - 11 Nov 2006.

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1912 - Belfast, Antrim, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - Oct 2006 - Cambridge, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth