With great sadness, we announce the passing of Cate Tootill, our loving mother and grandmother.  Cate died peacefully in her sleep on March 10, 2016 at the age of 86, surrounded by two generations of her family.  She was predeceased by Eric, her beloved and devoted husband of more than sixty years and by one of her grandchildren, Shannon.  She is succeeded by her children, David, Helen, and Neil, and by her six remaining grandchildren, Eric (her husband’s namesake), Eleanor, Victoria, Wendy, Allister, and Lucy.
Cate lived a long and fulfilling life.  She was born in England in 1929 and met Eric at a dance 17 years later where she took the lead in approaching him, early evidence of an assertive personality that served her well.  They were married four years later and were devoted to each another and to their family for their entire lives.
Cate and Eric moved to Canada in 1958 in search of a better life for themselves and their three young children. They settled in Toronto and Cate soon entered the working world to help her family, an unusually progressive move for the time.   She was a bookkeeper and an office manager for several firms, and became the overall Administrator for the Ironworkers Pension Plan for many years. In that capacity in 1974 she became the first woman at the top of the newly-constructed CN Tower, then the tallest freestanding structure in the world.
Upon Eric’s retirement, the couple moved to Vancouver, where Cate began a second career as a real estate agent.  She was immediately successful, winning numerous sales awards and rising to the top 1% in the Vancouver Realty community.  Her determination and passion for this work also made her many new friends.    During this time, she and Eric also travelled around the world, with numerous trips throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
A memorial service for family only will be held June 23, 2016, on what would have been her 87th birthday.  Farewell wishes may be left at http://kearneyfs.com/obituaries.