Thomas Bodanis – Sax, Flute, Clarinet/Bandleader, TMA Life Member from April 10 1959 – October 22 2022

Born: Feb 28 1929, Zhelevo Macedonia – Deceased: October 22 2022 from Covid at Etobicoke General Hospital, Toronto Canada.

Survived by his son, Dan Bodanis, TMA Member for 52 years (Drummer/Band Leader), Kelly Bodanis (Dan’s wife), and Grandson’s Sabian and Sebastian Bodanis.

A note from son, Dan Bodanis:

My Dad has joined my Mom.
They were married for 62 years, up until July 4 2013, when my Mother left this life.
What happened to my Dad, contracting and passing from Covid, was absolutely terrible, however, when I saw him in hospital for the last time, my wife Kelly called during our visit, I answered, and my father recognized her voice, they chatted and he immediately expressed his love for Kelly, our boys, Sabian & Sebastian and Kelly’s amazing pancake breakfasts!

My Dad was a loved man. He LOVED his grandson’s, Sabian & Sebastian, and Kelly & I and we all loved him!

He was a great guy. He was my role model as a father and especially as a bandleader, and I have benefited from his example more than I could ever articulate.

My Dad and I had a very special relationship all of our lives, as he always arranged for me to study with the best music teachers and he helped me to become a Professional Drummer, by joining the TMA Local 149, in 1971, at age 12.

My Dad was always very proud of his association with TMA Local 149 of the AFM. Over the years, he encouraged countless numbers of Musicians to gain legitimacy, by joining the TMA, signing contracts for gigs, and making sure that everyone knew that the Musician’s pension was a great thing!

We played so many gigs together, long ago, I lost count, and for that, I am grateful.

My Dad treated people well. He provided employment to a lot of musicians over the years and revelled in telling the stories of all the great Musicians that he shared a stage with, in the ’Tommy Bodanis Orchestra!’

He had a fundamental respect for everyone and that respect actually helped him to create opportunities for me in Music and Hockey that, upon reflection, were incredible.

A few days after his passing, great Blues Singer, Danny Balaka, called me to express his condolences, and to tell me how kind my father was to him, when he was just a little boy, playing the tambourine with the Tommy Bodanis Orchestra, at Macedonian Weddings.

Danny B reminded me: “Back in the day, if a Macedonian Bride and Groom couldn’t book your Dad’s band on a Saturday or Sunday night – they would move their wedding to a Friday night, just to be able to book his band to play at their wedding!”

We sure did play a lot of Friday, Saturday & Sunday night weddings, especially during the 70’s!

My sadness is significantly less than my relief.

I am greatly relieved that my dad is no longer suffering, as he suffered terribly, and relieved to know that – besides the amazing meals that Kelly prepared for him and that I took him to at Summit Garden Chinese Restaurant (our fave!), he will once again be feasting (Spiritually) on my Mom’s amazing spaghetti, and meat sauce, and delicious apple pie!

God bless you and thank you for everything, Pop! I am so glad that I had a final chance to tell you how much I love you, what you meant to me, and to tell you that you were the BEST!

No plans yet for a service or celebration of life.

Eventually, my family will do something special to celebrate his life.

For now, I hope he is recording in that big studio in Heaven!