Theodore Taddy Sawasy

Born in Hafford, Saskatchewan on August 13, 1940, he and his fraternal twin brother became the pride and joy of their mother. It was rare in those days for multiples to survive, so their Mom took to dressing them up as little girls and displaying them in the front yard. They were again the talk of the town as wee lads, when they were lined up to shake the hand of Prime Minister William Lyon McKenzie King during one of his wartime campaigns across Canada.

At 15 his family moved to the Vancouver area, eventually settling into the small neighbourhood of Champlain Heights. Not very interested in school, Ted’s interests became classical music, White Spot hamburgers, and all things military. Soon after his arrival in Vancouver he signed up for Army Cadets, eventually becoming a training officer at the Vernon Army Camps every summer. Ted had always wanted to be a pilot but poor vision kept him from chasing that dream. Instead, after high school he took a job with CP Air. It was here that he was able to work around planes even though he couldn’t fly one. Not happy with his office job, he explored his options and found he could be more involved in the functioning of an airport as a radio operator. This led to him enrolling in radio operator school in Ottawa, eventually taking a job as an officer in the Coast Guard. Out at sea for weeks at a time, he loved this job and the officer benefits that came with it (fine dining!).

In December of 1969 he met Jeannette Mauthe through mutual friends and after a few dates and many weeks of him at sea, they married in July of 1970. Jeannette was not really into having a husband at sea for weeks, so Ted took a job with Transport Canada as a Flight Service Specialist with his first posting to the tiny airport in Tofino. There in 1974, his pride and joy, Maureen, was born.

In 1976, wanting to be closer to his family, the 3 Sawasy’s from Tofino settled in Mission with Ted taking a job at Abbotsford Airport. Developing some very good friendships, Ted and Jeannette enjoyed socializing through curling, themed dinner parties, and travel. Ted enjoyed reading about all things science (especially space), reading sci-fi and detective novels, and exercising.

After retiring in 1996, Ted became heavily involved in Mission’s Friends of the Library (truly heavily, as over the years he lifted hundreds of boxes of books). As age came creeping in, it got to be harder and harder for Ted and Jeannette to live without help so as a family, the decision was made for them to move into Chartwell Carrington House where Ted enjoyed his last years in a community where everyone loved him.

Since his passing, multiple residents and staff have come up to the family to comment on just how nice he was and how kind he was. Even near the end he still tried to resist help with standing and sitting, not just a sign of stubbornness but a sign of how he just did not want to be a burden to anyone. His final day he was in so much pain that when the end came, while grieving, the family felt a sense of relief that he was no longer suffering. We are very thankful for the staff at Carrington for all of their support and kindness and to his medical team for their knowledge and understanding.

Ted is survived by his wife Jeannette, daughter Maureen, twin, Terry and his family; numerous in-laws who loved him; numerous nieces and nephews; grand nieces and nephews.

Rest easy Dad. You’re free of pain now.

No service by request.