Sandra MacNeil
Lieu de naissance : Halifax, Nouvelle Ecosse, Canada
Lieu de décès : SYDNEY, Nouvelle Ecosse, Canada
Date de décès : 6 juillet 2011
It is with deepest sadness that we, the family, announce the passing of Sandra Marie (Holl) MacNeil, 67, of 64 Kenwood Dr., Sydney River, who died Wednesday, July 6, 2011, at home after a brief battle with cancer, with her family at her side.
Sandy was born and raised in Halifax and was the daughter of the late Henry and Margaret (Sampson) Holl. She moved to Sydney in 1964, after completing her B.A. at Mount Saint Vincent University and began to work with the Provincial Social Assistance Department. Two years later she joined Children’s Aid Society of Cape Breton. She became the owner of her first Old English sheepdog, Duchess, in 1967 and later to be joined by Maggie, another Old English. This led her to become an active member of the CB Kennel Club as a trainer and with showing her dogs.
The 1970s were busy for Sandra as she adopted her son, her pride and joy, involved herself with the Cape Breton Drama Club and appeared in a play at Neptune Theater during the Nova Scotia Drama Festival. She ran, unsuccessfully, for MLA in Cape Breton South as an NDP candidate in the provincial election; began the extended social worker degree program at UCCB and became one of its first graduating class with a BSW degree.
Also during that time, she played an active role in the women’s community and became one of the first board members of Transition House. Sandy became a labour activist, participating in the organization of a union at children’s aid, first as a direct charter with the Canadian Labor Congress and later with the CUPE. She was a delegate to the Cape Breton Labor Council and to a number if Nova Scotia Federation of Labour conventions, all while being a dedicated wife, mother, and friend.
She continued her career as a social worker and became the first Northside Regional Director for C.A.S., and later returned to the Sydney office where she began working with wards of the agency. In 1977, she felt forced to retire from the Children’s Aid after 30 years and subsequently, she went to the gambling help line, where she was employed until the province changed contractors.
She is survived by her loving husband and best friend, Kevin; her son, Andrew (Justin), Westmount; her furry grand puppy, Maggie May; her brother-in-law, Henry MacNeil (Greta); sisters-in law, June MacKeigan and Helen MacNeil; many cousins, nieces and nephews, and her special ‘foster’ daughter, Lisa.
Her parents, three children in infancy, a sister-in-law, Ruth Tutty and brothers-in-law, Gerry MacNeil, Doug MacKeigan and Glen Tutty predeceased her.
Our family would like to express a very big thanks to the staff on 4C, the social workers, and her home nurses for all the compassion and care they showed this very private lady in her last few months.
Cremation has taken place and there will be no visitation. A service to celebrate Sandy’s life will take place at 2 p.m. Monday, July 11, 2011, at the SW Chant & Son Funeral Home, 564 Alexandra St., Sydney, with a reception to follow.
Memorials to the Every Women’s Center and Loaves and Fishes would be appreciated and most welcome.
