Thomas W.E. McIllwraith M’87

Thomas W.E. McIllwraith, Carlton Place, Ontario, Canada, died February 3, 2025. 

Tom was born in Liverpool, UK on May 20, 1945, and grew up in Saint John (New Brunswick, Canada), graduating from Simonds High School in 1963. He would go on to study at St. Thomas University, UNB Fredericton, University of Maine, Saint Michael’s College, and St. Stephen’s College, earning bachelor’s degrees in English and education, master’s degrees in English, education, and theology, starting PhD’s in English and education but not finishing the dissertations, then finally ending his student career when he received his doctorate in ministry at age 53. 

While continuing his part time university studies, Tom taught high school in Stanley, Nackawic, and Saint John with a two-year interlude as a lecturer in English at Bethlehem Teachers College, Malvern, Jamaica from 1976-78. From 1980-1991, Tom worked as the social action coordinator for the Roman Catholic diocese of Saint John. 

In 1991, Tom and his family moved to Halifax, NS, where he worked at the Atlantic School of Theology (AST) as the director of distance education until his retirement in 2009. At AST, he was a pioneer in online education. Today, people who took the online classes he established make up most the school’s in-person full time students. For this accomplishment, Tom was awarded the title of Fellow of AST at the 2023 convocation.

Tom enjoyed painting, building boats, and learning to play the fiddle.

Tom was predeceased by his wife, Mary, and in 2019 by a daughter. He is survived by a son and extended family.