Celebration of Life Monday May 27, 2024 @ 2 PM – St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Fellowship lunch to follow in the basement

Brian was born on Sept. 23, 1946, in Welland, Ontario, to Steve Toth and Doris Kent. Brian’s father worked as a clockmaker. When he was four years old, his family moved to Lestock, Saskatchewan, for a short time, where Brian’s grandparents farmed. Doris wasn’t a farm girl, so they moved to Regina, where Steve again worked as a clockmaker.
Brian was the first of three children. His sister, Wendy, was 2 years younger and his brother, Bob, 4 years younger. As a child, Brian lived for sports. He swam, played football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and all school sports. He loved to tell the story that on one of Queen Elizabeth’s visits to Regina, his bantam football team was chosen to play a match for her. Brian played varsity basketball.
Brian took all of his formative education in Regina, graduating from Martin Collegiate. He went on to the University of Regina and the University of Saskatoon, where his majors were Physical Education and Math. During that time he was a lifeguard and painted houses with his friend Bill Wotherspoon to earn money.
Brian’s first teaching position was in Brandon, Manitoba. This is where he met Florence, who was attending Brandon University. Florence and Brian were married on July 14, 1973, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Yorkton, Sask. Their first year of married life was spent at The Pas, Manitoba, where Brian taught high school PE and Florence taught Grade 3. The following year, Brian read an ad in the Winnipeg Free Press asking for teachers in Australia, so they went. Here they spent two fun-filled years of teaching, beaching, golfing, and traveling. Brian loved Australia and would have stayed forever, but Florence became homesick for family, so they returned to Canada. They spent the next two years teaching in Clinton and Ashcroft, BC.
Feeling that he was getting burned out from teaching PE, Brian enrolled in the Electronics Technician course at SAIT. Following graduation, he worked in the oil patch outside of Edmonton for a couple of years, but a new opportunity to combine his skills emerged when Queen Elizabeth School in Edmonton hired him to teach electronics. It was at this time that their first child, Kent, was born. Less than a year later, a friend at Vernon Secondary High School recommended Brian for an electronics teaching position in 1982. So, Brian and family moved to Vernon, where they bought an acreage in Lavington and Brian built a house. Then along came their second child, Kylee, in 1984. After 4 years in Vernon and government cutbacks in education each year, Brian decided to pursue his options. In 1986, Brian was offered a job at Sir Winston Churchill High School in Calgary, where he taught electronics and shop classes until he retired in 2005.
After Florence retired in 2010, the couple bought a home in Phoenix, AZ, where they have spent 4-6 months each winter. Brian loved the golfing and the great weather.
Brian will be remembered for his love of family and friends. He enjoyed golf, traveling, and encouraging his children and grandchildren in their sports pursuits. He had an amazing work ethic, gave good advice, and was gifted with the ability to fix almost anything.
Brian is survived by his wife of 50 years, Florence; his son Kent and wife Steph; his daughter Kylee; and 4 grandchildren: Solomon, Zeke, Addie, and Sidney. He is also survived by his brother Bob and his wife Nona; his sisters-in-law, Myrtle, Alma Zamzow and Pam, and Pam’s husband Chuck. He will be remembered by 14 nieces and nephews and 8 great-nieces and great-nephews.