Stephen Alexander 'Sandy' Burns
Lieu de naissance : New Waterford
Date de naissance : 10 septembre 1954
Lieu de décès : New Waterford
Date de décès : 3 janvier 2014
“When his breath began to fade, the angels hovered above him, gently lifting his spirit into the heavenly hands of God.”
With broken hearts we announce that Sandy entered into eternal peace at his home in River Ryan on Jan. 3, 2014, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born in New Waterford on Sept. 10, 1954, he was the second son of the late Sandy and Theresa (Donovan) Burns.
With a zest for life and a witty sense of humour, Sandy enjoyed nothing more than spending time with his beloved family and treasured friends so it would be only fitting that he was surrounded by their presence to the end. His spirit and loving memories will be forever cherished by his wife Cathy (Grechuk); son, Jeff, Donkin; daughter, Natalie (Ryan Marman), Glace Bay; stepdaughter, Katelyn; as well as his brother Bill Burns (Margaret Anne), Sydney River; sisters, Brenda (Timmy Chiasson) and Melanie (Lloyd MacLeod) both of New Waterford. Sandy was also the proud Grandpa to his two beautiful grandsons, Jacob MacLellan and Blake Marman and the much-loved uncle to his nieces and nephews. He will forever hold a special bond and will be deeply missed by his extended Grechuk family.
An avid athlete, Sandy excelled in all sports with one of his most memorable feats being a member of the Nova Scotia provincial soccer team that competed in the Canada Games in 1973. As a result of his athletic achievements, he was recently inducted into the New Waterford Sports Hall of Fame with the 1973 Challenge Cup winners and will be honoured as Division Chairperson during Coal Bowl 2014.
While employed with Devco and prior to its closure, Sandy successfully completed his Masters in mental health. He was a member of the Canadian Counseling Association and the Nova Scotia Social Workers Association, enabling him to become sole proprietor of S.A. Burns Counseling where his compassion for others extended well beyond the office walls. He later commenced employment with the Department of Justice in 2012. Sandy had a profound respect for and was a true advocate of the Mi’kmaw communities of Cape Breton and beyond, participating in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Hearings in 2011.
Besides his parents, Sandy was preceded in death by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Carl and Anne Grechuk.
Visitation for Sandy will be held today (Monday, Jan. 6) from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. in V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 380 Smith St., New Waterford. A celebration of his life will take will take place Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 10 a.m. in the Parish Church of St. Leonard, 3180 Mount Carmel Ave., New Waterford with Fr. Ray Huntley officiating. Interment will be in St. Michael’s Cemetery, River Ryan, at a later date. All are invited to join the family for a reception in St. Leonard’s Hall, Convent Street, New Waterford.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hospice/Palliative Care Society of Cape Breton, VON, or the Cancer Patient Care Fund of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation, Sydney, or a charity of one’s choice.
Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.vjmcgillivray.ca.
