Obituary of Saundra Mary Patterson
SAUNDRA PATTERSON,
Passed away peacefully on January 27, 2021, after a valiant struggle with cancer. Saundra loved life and lived it to the fullest. She loved to share fun, laughter, good food and good conversation, and had a special way of making each person she met feel welcome and at ease in her company. She will be especially deeply missed by her closest family, including her beloved husband Dan, her daughter Christine, grandson Sean and her sister Alexis and family. Born in Toronto to Edith and Alex Assim, Saundra’s Irish-Syrian heritage formed the foundation for her passion for life, her love of home and family, and her commitment to helping others to achieve their full potential in a just society. She was a great storyteller and a wonderful listener, loved fiercely, held herself and others to high standards, took great joy in all that life had to offer, and will be remembered by many as a great friend and beautiful, kind lady.
Saundra grew up in the Ottawa Valley, where she formed lifelong friendships, including that with her girlhood friend, Paulette Morin. From an early age, Saundra demonstrated a special affinity to Indigenous people that led her to a 36-year career with the federal government as a senior official committed to Indigenous Affairs. She travelled and worked with many First Nations communities. She held major leadership responsibilities including helping Indigenous communities across Canada and in Ontario with delivering social services and addressing difficult problems such as the tragedy of youth suicide, budgeting for First Nations operations, and development of the Ontario First Nations Police Commission (1985-1992), on which she served as an Indigenous Police Commissioner. Through her work with the federal government, Saundra made deep friendships with many people including Paul Powers, Jack Vanderloo, and her dear friend Walter Kubiski. It was also through her work that Saundra met her husband Dan, her soulmate and the love of her life. A natural leader and group facilitator, Saundra mentored and assisted women in their careers. She also designed and delivered major workshops with First Nation Chiefs and administrators. In 1977, she was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in recognition of her public service and work with Indigenous communities in Canada. While she did not like the title, Saundra did become the de facto “First Lady” of Niagara College when Dan became president in 1996. She helped organize early Seafood Galas, galvanizing friends and volunteers to helping grow this into the signature event that it is today, bringing in all sectors of the Niagara economy and attracting over 600 hundred people annually. Her love of students was profound. Of the 171 convocation ceremonies that Dan participated in, Saundra attended over 160, an extraordinary testament to her caring for students and commitment to the college. Saundra had a special affinity to the School of Horticulture because of her love of gardening. She contributed to many scholarships and bursaries and has established an Endowment Fund which will continue to distribute bursaries for students.
Saundra had grace, dignity, and a generous, caring heart. Although she travelled the world, she loved creating a special home and sharing it with others, whether in Toronto, Youngstown NY or her beloved home in St. Catharines, where she and Dan welcomed literally thousands of people to hundreds of family and college events over the years. One of her favourite traditions was hosting the Niagara College Student Administrative Council every year to a summer dinner before the start of their new term. A talented chef, skillful gardener and consummate hostess, every season was a source of celebration for Saundra. Christmas was a particularly favourite time of year. Starting after Canadian Thanksgiving, she would transform the house into a Christmas wonderland with multiple trees and decorations collected from around the world. Her sheer delight in Christmas could rival that of any child. Saundra loved the Niagara community, and generously shared her talent and treasure in many efforts to support performing arts and culture, the health sector, and the Grape and Wine Festival. She was devoted to the performing arts and supported them from her early days in Niagara, when she headed up a fundraising gala for the Niagara Symphony. Through that experience, she was introduced to Chorus Niagara, a group for which she developed great fondness and respect and became a dedicated supporter. She had a particular passion for the Rankin Run, and participated from its inception. The 2019 run featured her and Dan, along with three other cancer survivors, on a Rankin Run poster, supporting the cause. Saundra’s most recent shining moment was lighting of the Hotel Dieu Shaver Hospital Christmas tree and illuminating the grounds to support the hospital’s Snowflakes and Angels Christmas campaign. A nature and animal lover throughout her life, Saundra always had beloved pets in her home. She also had a special place in her heart for horses. Recently, her dear friends Beth and Tom Rankin named an 18-month-old filly “Saundra” in her honour. With two visits by the horse to Shaver Hospital, Saundra embraced and absolutely fell in love with her.
Saundra was a person of deep gratitude and would want to offer thanks to the many friends and family who supported her and Dan during her battle, especially her daughter Christine, her sister Alexis and her friend Bonnie Rose, who walked beside her every step of the way.Thank you to Dr. Jeremy Child (General Practitioner), Dr. Lua Eiriksson (Oncologist at Juravinski Hospital), and Drs. Galina Arvinte and Wesley Reimer (Palliative Care physicians at Hotel Dieu Shaver Hospital). A very special thank you to Sr. Louise Dillon, Director of Mission and Pastoral Services, and to all the nurses and caregivers at the amazing Hotel Dieu Shaver Hospital.
Due to Covid restrictions, a virtual funeral service will be streamed from St. Julia’s Catholic Church at 11 am on Tuesday, February 2nd. The service will be live streamed. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Hotel Dieu Shaver Hospital would be greatly appreciated.
Live Stream Link : https://livestream.com/accounts/15502389/events/9508423
A note from The President of Niagara College, Sean Kennedy
It is with great sadness that I share the news that Saundra Patterson passed away last evening after a long illness. As the dedicated partner of our president emeritus Dan Patterson and as a champion for NC in her own right, Saundra leaves an indelible mark on our College community. For more than 25 years during Dan’s tenure as president, Saundra was a steadfast supporter of our College through a transformative period of growth and evolution of our campuses. She was at the heart of every major college event – as a supporter, ambassador and the true embodiment of our ‘NC DNA.” Year after year, Saundra was a fixture of the front row at our convocation ceremonies, cheering on our new classes of graduates. She greeted countless visitors to our campuses from across Canada and around the world – including two royal visits (Prince Charles, and Sophie the Countess of Wessex), two prime ministers (Stephen Harper and Justin Trudeau), and numerous government officials and dignitaries. Saundra and Dan also graciously welcomed their ‘NC family’ into their home over the years, including many gatherings of international students, and numerous ‘friends of NC’ from Niagara and around the world. Saundra was present for the groundbreaking of the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus in 1996, and in late 2019 when the announcement was made at Dan’s community retirement celebration that the campus would be renamed the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in her husband’s honour. With Dan by her side, she represented NC throughout the community and has spent numerous Christmases volunteering to help those in need at the Spirit of Christmas Dinner in St. Catharines. Saundra leaves a special legacy at NC through her love for animals. As champion and guardian of our beloved Greenhouse cats, she brought much joy to students and employees alike. For more than 15 years, Saundra delighted in and took great care of Basil, often taking him for vet checkups, and presided over a special memorial in his honour in October 2019. More recently, she supported the adoption of our new Orange tabby, Scout, and was instrumental in selecting his name among finalists from a college-wide naming contest. Whenever we pay tribute to Basil or stop into the greenhouse to admire Scout, we have Saundra to thank for making this possible. Prior to Dan’s presidency at NC, Saundra dedicated her career working in what was then called the Federal Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. In 1977, she was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee medal for her work with Canada’s First Nations. Saundra will forever have a special place in the hearts and memories of our college community. Flags are half-staff at our College campuses in Saundra’s memory and details regarding a virtual service will be shared with the College community once available. On behalf of Niagara College, I extend my deepest condolences to Dan, and to Dan and Saundra’s family, including their daughter Christine, and grandson Sean.
