A Tribute to Tom Rosettis

It is with deep sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Tom Rosettis, a long-standing volunteer and leader within the Marda Loop Communities Association (MLCA). Tom gave at least a decade of steady, generous service to the community, with documented executive involvement dating back to 2016. He served on the MLCA executive as Vice President in 2016, stepped into the role of President in 2017, and continued to serve for years in that capacity through periods of significant growth and change in the Marda Loop area. In more recent years, Tom remained closely involved as Past President, providing continuity, mentorship, and steady guidance as the Association transitioned to new board leadership.

Over the last decade, MLCA has been deeply engaged in complex community conversations, civic advocacy, and neighbourhood-building work that requires real commitment: evening meetings, governance responsibilities, listening to residents, reading and preparing for planning files, supporting community initiatives, and showing up consistently when the work is demanding and the outcomes are not always easy. Tom was a key part of that effort. He helped the Association represent and advocate for the interests of the communities MLCA serves, including South Calgary, Altadore, Garrison Woods, and River Park, and he was known for bringing a calm, credible presence to discussions about development, urban planning, and the future shape of the neighbourhoods. His leadership was especially significant during major planning and infrastructure conversations, including large-scale projects and development proposals that drew strong public attention and required thoughtful community engagement.

We also want to extend heartfelt gratitude to Tom’s family. Community association leadership asks a lot of the people who volunteer and of the people who support them at home. Thank you for the evenings he spent in late meetings, the time he gave to board work, and the countless moments he chose community service over personal time. MLCA and the broader Marda Loop community are stronger because Tom kept showing up, year after year, with dedication and care. Tom’s impact will live on in the standards he helped set for volunteer leadership, the relationships he built, and the lasting contribution he made to the place so many of us call home. Rest in peace, Tom. Your community is grateful.

Tom Rosettis, born in the 1950s in Marda Loop, was a true pillar of the community he called home his entire life. Tom volunteered with the Marda Loop Community Association as President, Vice-President, Past President, Acting Vice-President and volunteering at community events, giving his time, energy, and heart without hesitation or expectation of recognition. His service was never about credit—it was about people.

Tom had a rare way of making others feel heard and valued. He led not by force or volume, but through calm presence, gentle guidance, and quiet integrity. In moments of disagreement or uncertainty, Tom brought steadiness. His kindness, friendly nature, and unmistakable wit lightened rooms and eased tensions, reminding everyone that community work is, at its core, about connection and care.

By Tom’s side was his wife, Aranka, who shared his commitment to volunteering and giving back. Together, they were familiar and welcoming faces at community events and activities, and their shared dedication reflected a genuine care for the people and place they loved. Their daughter, Monica, also volunteered at community events over the years, continuing the family’s tradition of service and community involvement.

For those familiar with the community hall, many may not know that the photographs gracing its walls came from Tom’s own family collection. By sharing these images, Tom offered a piece of his family’s history to the wider community – another quiet, generous contribution that helped give the hall its warmth and sense of belonging.

Tom’s sudden passing will be deeply felt across the community and his legacy remains woven into the fabric of the neighborhood he loved so dearly. He will be remembered for his calm and gentle leadership, his generosity of spirit, and the quiet grace with which he served others. Most of all, he will be remembered as a good man – one who made his community better simply by being part of it.

We are grateful for Tom’s many years of service and extend our heartfelt condolences to Aranka, Monica, and their family. He will be missed and fondly remembered