SURETTE, Sandra Jean Surette

She passed away December 22, 2025 at the age of 86, leaving behind a legacy defined by kindness, warmth, curiosity, and an unwavering love of family and friends. She was the beloved wife and best friend of Gary Surette, with whom she shared sixty-four remarkably full, wonderfully extraordinary, and beautifully shared years. Together, they built an authentic and active life shaped by love and an openness to wherever curiosity and opportunity might lead—one part globe-trotting adventure, one part family-centred quiet joy, and always rooted in devotion to one another.

Sandy was the proud mother of Paula Michelle (Robert) McConnell and Craig (Nita) Surette, and the deeply adored Nana of Julia, Jessica, Daria, and Cory. She was born September 8, 1939, in Brantford, Ontario, to John (Jack) and Daisy (née Poole) Benson, and was sister to the late Barbara Stewart and to John (Colleen) Benson.

Her life was rich with enthusiasm and connection. Sandy sang in choirs for nearly forty years, began her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in Brant County, and spent countless happy hours courtside at the Dufferin Tennis Club. She found her greatest joy in time spent with family and friends—hosting dinners, playing cards, and creating homes filled with laughter, warmth, and togetherness.

Sandy and Gary shared a lifelong love of travel, exploring the world with the curiosity of true adventurers. Their journeys took them behind the Iron Curtain in the early 1960s, across Europe beginning in 1961 on five dollars a day, on countless road trips throughout Canada and the United States, through China, on safaris in South Africa, to the Pyramids of Egypt, and on a memorable family rafting trip down the Grand Canyon. One unforgettable August saw them ride a motorcycle from Brantford to Vancouver, down the coast to Los Angeles, across Death Valley, and back home again. Wherever they wandered, “home” was always simply wherever the other stood.

Those who knew Sandy will remember her boundless kindness, quiet generosity, and a sincerity that immediately put others at ease. She loved deeply, listened fully, and gave freely—leaving a lasting impression on all whose lives she touched. As Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “Where there is love there is life.”

The family extends their most sincere gratitude to the caregivers of the Stedman Hospice, Dr. East, Dr. Renn and team, and to the many compassionate health professionals that Brantford is so fortunate to have.

Family and friends will be received at the McCleister Funeral Home, 495 Park Rd N, Brantford on Saturday, January 3, 2026 from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. following which a service celebrating Sandy’s life will be held in the chapel. At the conclusion of the service, everyone will be welcomed in the hospitality suite for refreshments and to continue to share their favourite memories of Sandy.

In honour of Sandy’s spirit, and in place of flowers, the family invites you to offer an act of kindness to a stranger this week. If you wish to support a charity, please consider the Stedman Hospice Foundation. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family at mccleisterfuneralhome.ca