Obituary of Tony Harrison

May 26, 1929 - Stroud, England

February 6, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta

Anthony (Tony) William Harrison, son of William Thomas Harrison and Florence Elizabeth Doris Harrison (formerly Sutton), brother of Joan Margaret Harrison and Kenneth Henry Harrison was born May 26, 1929, in Miserden, Gloucestershire, England and died February 7, 2023, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

He began his life in the small, beautiful Cotswold village of Miserden, as the son of a servant, as his father was a chauffeur for the Wills family, who owned much of Miserden. At 13, Tony met Audrey Virginia Gastrell from the nearby village of Cranham. Tony and Virginia often rode the bus into Stroud together where he attended the Stroud Technical College (STC), and she attended the adjoining Stroud School of Art, both located in an ornate old Victorian building on Lansdown Crescent. They married in Saskatoon August 31, 1956, and 79 years after they met and after 65 years of marriage, Virginia died November 10, 2021, sadly ending their long life together.

Tony’s health declined rapidly after losing dear Virginia. Tony and Virginia shared a passion for artistic expression and country living on the outskirts of Calgary, Alberta, where they raised their 3 children (Roman Gastrell Harrison, Fabian Gabriel Harrison, and Francesca Bathsheba Harrison), for many of their early years.

Tony’s paintings and tapestries reflected his fond memories of his childhood in Miserden, and he also enjoyed pottery, knitting, and sewing. Virginia also enjoyed sewing her own original clothing designs, painting, and making teddy bears and she took very loving care of Tony and their children all their married life. Tony and Virginia’s artistic creations often won awards at the Calgary Stampede.

Genealogy was another of Tony’s lifelong interests. His self-published works in retirement included: his Career Scrapbook, Harrison Ancestry, Harrison Tree Supplements, Three Score and Twenty and he compiled a Gastrell family tree in his earlier married years.

Two years of National Service working for the RAF as a radar mechanic in England followed his education at STC and Tony graduated with his BSc in Chemistry in 1953, from the University of Bristol and at the University of Saskatchewan, he completed his MSc in Physics in 1955 and his PhD in Physics in 1957.

After working in Quebec City, Tony and Virginia returned to England in 1959 and Tony was a senior lecturer at the Brighton College of Technology until 1966. Tony published a textbook: Intermediate Atomic & Nuclear Physics in 1966 and decided to move back to Canada with Virginia and their son Roman (Francesca and Fabian were born later in Calgary), to work as a lecturing and a research professor at the University of Calgary, in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and retired in 1994 with Professor Emeritus status, after publishing approximately 60 or more atmospheric physics related research papers and obtaining his BEd in 1982.

Tony was known by his students and others for his organized and clear teaching and research during his career and retirement. He also travelled to many countries as part of his work, and he had work related travel to Kathmandu during his retirement.

Tony and Virginia established active interests throughout their lives. They enjoyed travelling and boldly moved around the world together twice. They cared for and loved each other, their children, and their grandchildren deeply. Goodbye Dad and Grandad, we miss you and will always love you.

Tony is survived by his one daughter and son-in-law, Francesca, and Tim Edwards, of Calgary, AB; his two sons and daughters-in-law, Roman and Jane Cassidy Harrison of Calgary, AB, and Fabian Harrison and Gabriele Waidelich-Harrison of Saskatoon, SK; and five grandchildren, Quinn Lucero, Benjamin Harrison, Clinton Anderson, Samuel Anderson, and Harrison Christie. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Anthony Harrison, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.