Obituary of James Alexander Hay

James Alexander (Sandy) Hay, 71, passed away peacefully surrounded by family and friends on June 2nd 2023 at Kingston General Hospital.

He was born to James and Margaret Hay on June 13, 1951 in Kingston, Ontario.

Sandy is survived by his children Sarah and Dan, their partners Micah and Bridget, and their mother Carole; his siblings Peter, Bill (and wife Judy), Michael, Mary and Margie; his grandsons Jack, Oliver, Abel and Miles; and his dear friend Oksana.

After high school at Regiopolis in Kingston, and a brief rebellious time as a biker, he went on to study geography at Carleton University and developed his planning career at the Mississippi Conservation Authority, the Town of Carleton Place and the County of Leeds and Grenville. Retirement life kept him busy including sailing his beloved boat, the Pirate King, and playing music at open mic nights in Brockville. In his final years, through his ongoing battles with cancer, his intellectual curiosity in ancient civilizations and cosmology fuelled him on his journey.

Sandy left an imprint on everyone he met, with his passion for life and unwavering positive attitude. He had a way of making people feel seen and appreciated. May he always be cherished and remembered in all of our hearts.

Immense gratitude for the staff at KGH for the generous care and compassion they showed him in his final days. He made an effort to learn and remember each of their names and to thank them for their good work. A heartfelt shout out to Dr. Lui and her oncology team for, in Sandy’s words, “keeping him alive for eight years”.

A Celebration of Life is scheduled for Sunday, July 16 3-6pm at the Brockville Yacht Club