Dennis Charles Hollands

Our Dad slipped peacefully away at sunset July 30, 2025, ending a beautiful summer day and a fulfilling life.

Dad is pre-deceased by his dear wife of 70 years, Joan (nee Elliott); his sister Mildred Hollands; his sister Mary and brother-in-law Ken Hewitt; niece Jean Woof; brother-in-law John Rennie; nephew Bob Rennie; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law Gail and Gerry Lalande.

In the many months and days before he passed, Dad with we two, daughter Leslie and son David, had the good fortune of reviving memories together — of time spent in a loving home with Mom and Dad — of times spent with their five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren — of the restful and rewarding time Mom and Dad had together in retirement.

Activities in those later wonderful years included volunteering, global travel, cross-country skiing, curling, boating and a relaxing cottage life.

Dad was honest, talented, hard-working, liked people and was well-liked in return. These qualities saw him through many happy pursuits.

In any venture he quietly and calmly showed his pleasure in the doing — whether nurturing a team of specialists to develop or market new products, inventing a new paint, mastering a piece of music, learning how to paint watercolours — or just building a deck at the cottage; he displayed a scientist’s natural interest in doing with precision, the joy of applying new learning, and the satisfaction of doing well.

Dad believed in service - to church, community and industry. Together with Mom he volunteered in many capacities in their several United Church of Canada congregations. They were leaders and mentors of church youth groups, board members of the Canadian Singers, and volunteered at their local grade school. They took training for, and provided adult education to new Canadians. Dad was a long-standing volunteer as the communications officer for the 31 Division Community Police Liaison Committee in Toronto, and had been the President, and in retirement, Archivist, of his professional association: The Toronto Society for Coatings Technology, which was devoted to education and training for anyone looking to grow in that industry.

His involvement performing classical music with violin and viola started early, under his mother’s encouragement, and as a young man he won gold and silver medals for violin in annual Eisteddfod festival competitions. This love continued all through life with stints in the McMaster University Orchestra, Hamilton Symphony, Hamilton Chamber music group, and the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra. In retirement Dad belonged to a couple of small local musical groups who performed for seniors in Lindsay and Orillia, and he also devoted time to several other instruments.

His work life with C-I-L, ICI and Stanchem took him into the hidden world behind products we use and take for granted. After graduating with a major in Chemistry from McMaster University, Dad enjoyed an accomplished and interestingly varied career applying his scientific research, product development, people management, and sales skills to paints, coatings, pigments, dyestuffs and specialized chemicals. Dad was proud of the work he did to innovate and to make chemicals safer to transport and work with. He sold novel products such as alginates based on seaweed extracts and chemicals for airport runway firefighting. He cared about environmental impact and worked with Environment Canada on the landmark project to eliminate CFCs from aerosols.

And we were so very proud of him too, and will miss him dearly.

Dad is survived by his children Leslie (Derek), David (Catherine), grandchildren Jonathan (Rota), Joel (Nittaya), Alexander (Natalie), Danielle (Andrew), and Emma, great-grandchildren Nira, Chloé, Charlotte and Éléonore, sister Doreen Rennie and his nephews and nieces.

Heartfelt thanks go to Dr. Runk, Dad’s family doctor; staff at Leacock Retirement Lodge (his former residence), Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital and Champlain Manor Retirement Residence; nurses from Bayshore Home Care Solutions and PSW’s from ParaMed, who all provided compassionate care for Dad in Orillia.

According to his wishes, cremation has taken place. 

A small ceremony with immediate family will take place at graveside in Little Lake Cemetery, Peterborough.

If you wish to donate in his memory Dad particularly liked to support:

His alma mater McMaster University — for he recognized the power of his own education;

The Peterborough Symphony Orchestra and Kawartha Youth Orchestra — to foster skills and appreciation in classical music performance throughout life;

Mariposa House Hospice — for their empathetic expertise in helping residents like our mom in 2021, and their families.