Sandra Beyak Obituary - Burlington, Ontario | Guelph Line Smith's Funeral Home
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Obituary for Sandra Gail Beyak (McQuarrie)

Sandra Gail  Beyak (McQuarrie)
Sandra Gail Beyak (nee McQuarrie)
May 2, 1943 -- October 3, 2018
Sandra passed away peacefully on Wednesday October 3, 2018 at Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, Ontario. She was predeceased by her parents John Kenneth and Fern Ernestine (nee Buchanan) McQuarrie as well as all of her Aunts and Uncles. She is survived by John, her husband of 54 years, sons Michael (Tracie), Andrew (Jenn), and her grandchildren William, Anna, Dylan and Jonah her sister Betty (Ernie ), and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Sandra was born in the Winnipeg General Hospital on May 2, 1943. Soon after her family moved to Rainy River, Ontario which was considered, by her, to be her home town and where she attended elementary School. In 1957, following the death of her Father, Sandra, her Mother and sister Betty moved to Fort Frances. After two years of high school, Sandra went to Winnipeg in 1959 and enrolled at Success Business College studying to be a Medical Secretary. She completed her studies in 1960. At age 17, she began to work at the Winnipeg Clinic and continued there until 1966..
She married John Beyak on October 10, 1964 at All Saints Anglican Church in Winnipeg while John was attending university. In 1966 Sandra and John moved to Toronto where her two sons, Michael in 1969 and Andrew in 1971, were born. Toronto was their home until moving to Burlington in 1972. When Sandra became a mother she decided to work only a few days a week as she felt it important to be home for her children as much as possible. Throughout her working career, spanning more than 50 years, Sandra worked for various doctors in the fields of Internal Medicine, Orthopaedics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology,and Paediatrics. She was respected, trusted and admired by them all for her exceptional work ethic and loyalty. She set the bar high.
Much of Sandra’s life was more about other people than herself. She could be, depending on the situation or circumstances at any given time, impatient, honest, persistent, determined, unpretentious, tenacious, loyal, responsible, caring, outspoken, resourceful, considerate, and always forgiving. In Toronto as a young mother working part time and with two young sons she found time to volunteer at a local hospital. Later in life she always made the time to write, to contact, visit and care for elderly friends and relatives and be sure they knew that they were important and loved.
Sandra believed in the importance of strong family ties and friends. She was committed to maintaining contact with both the McQuarrie and Beyak sides of her family and friends with letters, phone calls and personal visits. She will be remembered by her families and friends for her unwavering sense of right and wrong, her willingness to engage in friendly and lively arguments and discussions and never to carry a grudge afterwards. She was intimidated by no one and did not hesitate to let her opinions be known. This included interactions with family and friends, neighbours, schools, employers, corporations, retail establishments and members of federal, provincial and local governments.
Sandra enjoyed travelling, meeting new people and experiencing other cultures. Her travels took her to France, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland, England, Scotland, United States, her beloved Baja California Sur region of Mexico as well as coast to coast in Canada. One special trip was to a McQuarrie family reunion in Scotland in 2001 where she visited the tiny island of Ulva where her ancestors had lived. While there she had a wish to dig her toes into the dirt on Ulva the land of her ancestors. She removed her shoes and did so – mission accomplished.
Sandra’s greatest source of satisfaction and pride was her two sons, their spouses and her four grandchildren. She said she wanted people to know that she felt she had a full and satisfying life and no regrets.
Her family wishes to thank the doctors and nurses and staff in the ER, ICU, 7 South and 5 North at Joseph Brant Hospital for their care and compassion during recent weeks. Special thanks and appreciation to her Family Doctor Adam Grzeslo, Doctor Wael Hanna (St. Joseph’s Health Care Hamilton), Doctor Gordon Okawara (Juravinski Cancer Centre) and Doctor Ian Darcel (Burlington) for their care and guidance during the past 3 years.
For those wishing to remember Sandra, in lieu of flowers, she wanted donations to be made to Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, St. Joseph’s Healthcare - Hamilton, Juravinski Cancer Centre - Hamilton, or Hamilton General Hospital.
Condolences to the family can be sent by email or post to Sandra’s home or through Smith’s Funeral Home.
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