Hattie, Sandy

Sandy Hattie, aged 71, passed away peacefully on Saturday, October 7, 2017. He was surrounded by the love of his life, Sherry and his beloved children Dawn (Ken), Scott (Rosa), and Sean. In his last moments, Dad (also known as Grumpa) was able to gaze into the beautiful eyes of his cherished grandchildren, Skye and Fergus. Dad was welcomed into Heaven by his parents Alexander and Bertha Hattie, brother Jim, mother-in-law Violet Horne and our dogs Casey and Kodi. Dad was the proud big brother of Lois Stargratt (Dan) and Lynne Lavigueur (Moe) and adored brother-in-law of Vicki and Wayne Butler and Sue and Wes Bridge. He was a treasured uncle to many nieces and nephews. Dad was born in Pickle Crow, Ontario and grew up in Sudbury. He was deeply proud of his Nova Scotia roots. Dad and Mum married in 1973 and moved to Copper Cliff in 1976. Dad marvelled at Mum's strength, warmth, and light every day. We are so profoundly proud and blessed to be their children. Dad had a quick and salty wit. He was the king of puttering and delighted in taking on odd jobs around the house. Even though it may have exhausted his patience, he relished the challenge of inventing new gadgets. Dad loved caring for our yard and ensured that the chipmunks and birds were always well fed. He was a diehard Montreal Canadiens fan. Dad delighted in watching the Habs and World Juniors hockey games with Sean. He strongly believed in the importance of keeping abreast of current events and world issues. Dad loved learning and possessed a remarkable knowledge of countless subjects. He spent his entire 33 year teaching career at Copper Cliff Public School. Dad was affectionately and respectfully given the nickname of “Sir” by his students. He was a phenomenal teacher who encouraged his students to overcome challenges and build resilience. Dad's unwavering integrity and sense of humour made him unforgettable. He was an extremely humble man without any pretense. Teaching was Dad's second calling. His first calling was to be a father. There are no words to encapsulate how much we love him and how much he loved us. Dad provided us with unconditional love, wisdom, honesty, and so much laughter. His courage and determination were an inspiration. He was our greatest gift. We feel so blessed to have had the time that we shared together, especially in his final days. Thank you to the caring staff and volunteers at the Northeast Cancer Centre. Thank you to Dr. Amelia Witkowski, Terri and Katie from Bayshore Nursing and Claire Warren from the Maison McCulloch Hospice for your heartfelt empathy and care. Finally, we are so grateful to everyone for their prayers and support. Dad felt enveloped by so much love. We will honour his life each day and when in doubt, remember to do what Dad would have done. A celebration of Dad's incredible life will be held in the Copper Cliff Public School gymnasium, 50 School Street, on Sunday, October 22nd at 2:00 p.m. Donations in Dad's name can be made to the Northern Cancer Foundation and The Heart and Stroke Foundation.