Robertson, Richard Brant BSc, MSc, MBA

Richard was born May 23, 1952 and died suddenly early in the morning of Saturday, October 9, 2021. Much loved and missed by his wife and best friend of 36 years, Gwen. He is survived by his brother-in-law Tom (Doreen) Sears. Missed by his nieces and nephews Stephanie (Jeff) Frisbee, Steven (Penny) Sears, Val (John) Sauder Robertson of Edmonton and his great-nieces and nephews Nate, Amelia, Tynan, Jaiden, Ayla, Caia, Gregory, and Cassandra. He was predeceased by his mother Margaret Wright and brother Gary Robertson. Donations can be made in memory to St. Paul’s United Church, 29 Park Street West, Dundas. A visitation will be held at St. Paul’s United Church from 1 – 2p.m. with a service immediately following. To watch the livestream of the service on Saturday, please visit stpaulsdundas.com.

Harrigan, Stephen Charles

With heavy hearts, we share the news of the unexpected passing of Stephen (Steve) Charles Harrigan, 58, of Mount Hope on October 10, 2021.

Steve was born in Paisley, Scotland in 1962 and immigrated to Canada in 1964. He is survived by his wife and soulmate, Jennifer (nee Douglas), his loving parents Charlie and Pat, sister Diane (Lorne), step-daughter Jessica (Caleb), niece Sara and nephew Ryan. He will also be dearly missed by his extended family and his many friends.

Steve was a gentle soul who adored gardening and animals. He loved his family deeply, and took pride and found great joy in them all, particularly Jenny and Jessi. He loved going for rides on his motorcycle or simply relaxing at the cottage with his dogs.

Visitations will occur at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St., Dundas, on October 19 from 2:00 – 4:00p.m. and 7:00 – 9:00p.m.. Due to limited capacity, a private service will be at Turner Family Funeral Home on October 20 at 11:00a.m.. A Livestream of the service will be available by clicking the link below. A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a later date. For those who wish to make a donation to a charity in Steve’s name, please consider the Hamilton / Burlington SPCA.

To watch the Livestream: https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=c89c8be2-f33b-4476-a300-4996b47907ab

LEROUX, Valen Marie “Val” (nee O’brien)

Peacefully at St. Joseph’s Hospital after a short illness on Thursday, October 7, 2021, in her 75th year. Devoted mother to James Leroux and Matthew (Emily) Innes-Leroux and loving grandmother to Bruce. Survived by her sisters; Moneen and Nancy, Val was the ‘fun aunt’ to several nieces and nephews. Predeceased by her husband of 45 years, Bob (2017). Val’s true calling was working in childcare and she touched the lives of many families. A private ceremony was held at the Turner Family Funeral Home with burial at Gate of Heaven Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Phoebe Rose Rocks Foundation or Good Shepherd Centre would be appreciated by the family.

Hayes, Elizabeth Anne

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Elizabeth Hayes on Monday, October 4th, 2021 at Juravinski Hospital in Hamilton, Ontario. Daughter of the late Edward and Madeline Hayes. She will be greatly missed by her brother Paul and his wife Teresa, her niece Alexandra, and her nephew Daniel. She will also be greatly missed by her life-long friend Trish, her goddaughter Melissa and her partner John, her many cousins in Ontario and New Brunswick, her neighbours and friends, and her fur babies Angel and Bella. Many thanks to the doctors and staff at Juravinski, as well as to the V.O.N. In lieu of flowers, donations to your charity of choice will be appreciated by the family. Visitation on Tuesday October 12 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas Ontario followed by service at 2:00 pm. Space is limited due to Covid restrictions, please register for the service at: https://signup.com/go/HuSpYAD. Burial at St. Augustine Cemetery.

MacGregor, Alvin Reginald

1940 – 2021

It is with great sadness that the MacGregor family shares with you the passing of our beloved Alvin on Saturday Oct 2nd 2021 in his 81st year. He left this world peacefully at home in Dundas Ontario leaving behind all those that loved and treasured him greatly. His memory will be cherished and kept alive by his loving wife of 60 years, Thelma; his son Robert of Bailieboro, daughters Debby (Richard) Martin from Kirby, Kathleen (Mark) Robert of Millgrove and Tresa Drew of Hamilton; his 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, his brothers, sisters and other extended family members as well as his many friends and neighbours.

Al spent his earlier years in Brighton Ontario where he enjoyed coaching local junior hockey, racing at Brighton Speedway (#46) and his affiliation with the Kinsmen Club. He always enjoyed a good Blue Jays or Leafs game, feeding all his outdoor fury and feathered friends and spending time in his gardens. His smile, gentle laugh and loving nature will be missed by all that knew him.

Come help us celebrate Alvin’s love for the Halloween spirit this October 31st at 4 Martingrove Dr. in Dundas On. There will be a celebration of life at Turner Family Funeral Home in mid November and details on date and time will be announced and posted on their website 2 weeks prior. 

Thank you all for your condolences and well wishes.

The MacGregor family.

Grochowina, Mary (nee Kozlowski)

January 12, 1921 – September 29, 2021

Mary passed away peacefully at the Meadows Retirement Home in Ancaster, on September 29, 2021 in her 101st year. She will be deeply missed by her children John (Patsy) and Chester (Murielle). She will be remembered dearly by her four grandchildren Chad (Bevin), Stacy (Steve), Nicole (Sean), Melissa (Mariusz) and eight great-grandchildren. Friends and family are invited to the Funeral Home from 8-9p.m. on Tuesday, October 5th. A funeral mass will be held for Mary on Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at 11:00 am at St Augustine’s Catholic Church in Dundas and interment will follow at Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery, Burlington. It is with saddened hearts that we say goodbye for now to our Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother.

Hoang, Dr. Boi Ngoc Thi

May 18, 1935 – September 30, 2021

With heartfelt profound sadness, our family announces the peaceful passing of Dr. Boi Ngoc Thi Hoang, dedicated & loving wife of 48 years to the late Dr. Hang Viet Dinh, paternal granddaughter of social activist & playwright Hoang Tang Bi & Cao Thi Thuyen, maternal granddaughter of Nguyen Thi Oa & Dr. Nguyen Nghia (personal physician (y sĩ  or Medecin Indochine) to Emperors Khai Dinh & Bao Dai in childhood) , daughter of Hoang Dung Huyen & Nguyen Thi Nhu, and niece of Dr. Nguyen Than (her “second father”).

Mom lost her father at age 3.5 years & was raised by her maternal grandparents & mother in Hue, Vietnam. Despite many potential distractions to veer her off her path, she never wavered in focus to become a physician which was inspired after witnessing, at age 5 years, her grandfather drain an ill boy’s abscess & he became immediately better afterwards. This inspiration was later supplemented by her deep sense of spirituality through her Mahayana Buddhist teachings. 

She graduated top of her medical school class at the University of Saigon in 1963 where she’d met dad during her surgical thesis defence & oral exams. Mom was only 1 of 2 women to complete the mostly male-comprised (at that time) General Surgery residency program at Saigon’s Cho Ray Hospital.

After immigrating to Windsor, ON in 1969  during a physician shortage, she had to restart as an intern at Windsor’s Metropolitan Hospital and completed her Canadian Obstetrics & Gynaecology residency training at Hamilton’s McMaster University program in 1977.

There was hardly ever a quick visit at her 53 Augusta St. office in Hamilton, as administrative assistants Shirley, Moira, Hong & those in the waiting room can attest. She’d calmly take the time to listen to more than 1 problem per person. All patients received her full attention & best effort to provide detailed compassionate care, instructions, & discussions about concerns. Mom’s sense of joy & purpose – what she called her Mission – was to bring life into the world via birth deliveries or tubal ligation reversals (with dad assisting) and to relieve suffering through her Gynaecology care, on top of being a loving devoted wife, mother, sister, and aunt.

In her later years , she never stopped trying to learn & attended both Thien Tanh Khong Ontario Meditation seminars whenever possible & McMaster’s Obstetrics & Gynaecology grand rounds and several medical continuing education conferences , while also maintaining her gynaecology practice.

Her medical service to our diverse community spanned 57 years (on some occasions caring for 2-3 generations of the same family at 1 office visit), including safely providing in-person office gynaecology care through the pandemic until mid-October 2020.

Mom’s sense of life balanced groundedness & lighthearted humour was nurtured by maintaining her meaningful longterm loyal friendships with fellow Dong Khanh high school classmates from Hue. These were 75 year connections which she cherished, never took for granted, & was re-invigorated by at many reunions & get togethers.

With our deepest, warmest loving hug & a kiss to the forehead, we send you now to the Other Shore. Your Mission of altruistic spacious kindness here is now complete and a new journey begins.

Gate , gate , paragate , parasamgate ,  bodhi svaha.  (Gone, gone, gone all the way over, everyone gone to the Other Shore.  Enlightenment ! )

Ngoc, or Pearl as some would call her, is survived by her son Tuan Trong Dinh  , sister-in-law Hien Thi Pham Hoang, and niece Tracy Thuc Hien Hoang and predeceased by her younger brother Dr. Ham Hai Hoang.

Our family would like to express our utmost gratitude for the kind compassionate care that mom received to Dr. John Neary (notably),  Dr. Madeleine Verhovsek, Dr. Daniel “Gene Kelly” Brandt Vegas , Dr. Anne Boyle and the Internal Medicine Team C doctors and the nurses, RPN’s, PSW’s, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, pharmacist, nutrition services staff, and cleaning staff of CTU North at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton.

A Celebration of Life will be held on mom’s birthday May 18, 2022 : Its location to be announced in the first week of April, both on the Turner Family Funeral Home website and in the Hamilton Spectator newspaper.

In lieu of flowers, mom wished that donations please be sent to Huong Dam Buddhist Temple on Brucedale Ave. in Hamilton, Mission Services of Hamilton, Salvation Army Food Bank in Dundas or your local food bank to aid single parent families like her’s, those families in need, and the homeless.

*THERE IS NO ACCESS FROM KING ST. W. (DUNDAS) TO THE GOLF CLUB. ONLY FROM HIGHWAY 5 AND BROCK ROAD*

Pace, Maria Giovanna (nee Cristiano)

Maria Giovanna Pace stood 4-foot-9 in heels, and she never wore heels.

Despite her diminutive stature, she towered over our family for many of her 92-plus years; her leave-taking from us on Sept. 28 tore a planetary-size hole in our universe. Such a large and constant presence was she at our family table, it is difficult to imagine how we will ever consume another meal, drink a glass of wine, let alone mark a family celebration or milestone, without her. 

Depending on your generation, Maria was either Ma or Nonna to pretty much everyone.  And loved by all.

One of five siblings born to Caterina and Giuseppe Cristiano, Ma started her life on Aug. 9, 1929 in Castelgrande, a mountaintop village south of Naples in the always sunny province of Potenza. It was there she met the love of her life, Pasquale Pace – Pa – the man with whom she would eventually cross the Atlantic in search of a better life, first in Montreal, later in Red Lake, a small mining town in northern Ontario.

In Red Lake, Ma and Pa, who we lost in 2009, raised six children. (A seventh child, a firstborn son, died in infancy while they were still in Italy.)

For the past 10 years, Ma’s home was Dundas, and the Dundas branch of her family was blessed by that decade.

Many are tragically diminished by age, but our family was fortunate beyond words in that Ma was ‘with us’ until the very end. In August, she held court at her 92nd birthday party, and had everyone in stitches as she sang and joked her way through a warm summer evening. Such a blessing.

Ma is survived by three sisters, Lucia, Vita Maria, Maria, all of Argentina, and her children Vito (Tracy) Pace, Peppi (Karen) Pace, Gerardo (Michelle) Pace and Claudia Pace, all of Red Lake and Vittoria Spinelli and Catherine (Dana) Robbins, both of Dundas. Nonna will be especially missed by grandchildren Aaron, Dana Jr., Jacob, Jessica, Kyle, Nicola, Riley and Taylor and great-grandson Brandon.

A funeral service will take place on Friday, Oct. 1, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. at Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main Street, Dundas.

Please register on the funeral home’s website – (Links are Below) – if you would like to attend as spots are limited due to COVID-19 spacing requirements.

Alternatively, friends and family can participate remotely by watching the service live online.  (Remote participants should register on the Turner website prior to the service to receive an email link.)

To view the livestream: https://event.forgetmenotceremonies.com/ceremony?c=950db25b-55f4-4673-b5d8-14ef9d93d3e4

To Register for the Service: https://signup.com/go/hwCCpxb

DeCola, Joseph Anthony

Passed away peacefully on September 24, 2021, in his 69th year. Beloved husband of Terry (Griffin) for 47 years. Loving father to Andy (Leanne Chalecki) and Cindy (Sean Fallon). Proud Grandfather (‘Go-Go’) to his grandchildren Ben, Chloe, Max and Charlotte. Survived by his father-in-law Robert Griffin. Dear brother to Nancy (Tony), Sara (Brian) and Antonella, and brother in-law to Patty (Adrian). Loving uncle to his nieces and nephews and their partners. Predeceased by his parents, Annunziata and Andrea DeCola, his mother-in-law, Emma Griffin, and his brother-in-law, Rick Hazell.

Joe loved spending time with his family and enjoyed many large family gatherings filled with Italian cooking and wine. He had an incredible smile and sense of humour and was an adventurous soul. From a young age, Joe had a love of motorcycles. He owned 23 throughout his life and restored numerous vintage motorcycles with great pride. Joe fulfilled his dream of traveling across Canada on his motorcycle. Joe also loved the outdoors, hiking and walking with Terry. A strong cyclist, Joe enjoyed spending many hours riding with friends and by himself, which included early morning solo rides which he found therapeutic. Joe was always up for a challenging bike ride and took part in the Paris to Ancaster bike race multiple times. Many family memories were made on trips to Mexico. Early morning walks on the beach with Terry and afternoon tequila poppers by the pool. Joe, Dad, Go-Go, you were the best. We love you dearly and will always remember the joy that you brought to our lives. May you rest in peace.

Thank you to the General Hospital 7 West Neurosciences Ward for taking such good care of Joe over the past three weeks.

Friends and family are invited to Turner Family Funeral Home, 53 Main St., Dundas, on Wednesday, September 29 from 2-4pm & 7-9pm. Cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in memory to the Alzheimer’s Society of Hamilton.

Robillard, Edward John

Passed away peacefully at St. Joseph’s Hospital on Monday, September 20, 2021 in his 76th year. Beloved husband of Suzanne (nee Taziar) for 55 years. Proud father to Wayne (Jacqueline), Sharon (Joe), Jason (Jennifer). Loving Papa to Jeffrey, Ryan, Alexa, Trevor, Jonny, Arden, and Callum. He will be missed by many extended family and friends. Edward retired from Dofasco after 38 years. He served as a volunteer firefighter in the Town of Dundas. Friends and Family are invited to Turner Family Funeral Home. 53 Main St, Dundas, on Sunday, September 26, from 1-4p.m. Donations can be made in memory to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.