Sandra Gayle Anderson Hanoski

When Sandra Gayle Hanoski walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Sandra was and how she impacted those around her. Sandra was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Sandra wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Sandra was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.

      Sandra was born on March 2, 1946 at Oshawa General Hospital in Oshawa, Ontario. She was the daughter of Barbara and Michael Anderson. Sandra was raised in Whitby. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Sandra might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Sandra was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.

      As a young girl, Sandra was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Sandra was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Sandra took part in baseball, tennis, figure skating. She was a brownie and girl guide. In her spare time she liked fishing ( making big catches), playing baseball (home-run by bunting) and bowling. Sandra's memorable achievements included winning the championship in baseball and participating in fashion shows. Sandra had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.

      During her high school years, Sandra responded enthusiastically to any new project and was regularly in search of one adventure after another. She attended Henry Street High School and Anderson High School and graduated in 1962. Sandra was a very good student, and generally did well in her courses. Sandra absorbed as much as she could from all of her teachers and was consistently able to tackle conceptual and abstract problems, using her imagination to master her assignments. For Sandra, school often became just an extension of playtime, thanks to her ability to turn just about anything into a game. Classmates considered Sandra a good listener, knowing that when necessary, they could go to her to discuss just about anything. Her favourite class in high school was English. She achieved high grades and is remembered by classmates and teachers.

      With a talent for making acquaintances easily which in turn brought her an endless stream of friends, Sandra was very sociable and could blend without effort into any social group. Assertive and outgoing, Sandra was easy to know and demonstrated a deep concern for others. She always seemed aware of what was going on with people around her and throughout her life she made many, many friends. While growing up, some of her best friends were Viki Row and Sylvia Carswell, no one was a stranger after she met them. Later in life, she became friends with Sylvia Toffin and Marg Sills.

      On October 8th, 1976 Sandra married Robert William Hanoski at Whitby United Church of Whitby, Ontario. Sandra's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Robert's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Sandra was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.

      Sandra was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Sandra, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Hanoski home. Sandra's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Sandra was blessed with three children: one son Rob, and two daughters Donna and Wendy. They were also blessed with four grandchildren Trisha, Kara, Jack, Dante and one great grandchild, Zander.

      Sandra was uplifted by new ideas and was excited by life’s possibilities, traits that made her an exceptional worker. Her primary occupation was as an accounting clerk. She was employed with Whitby Hydro Electric Commission for 30 years and then 10 years in child caring. Sandra was enterprising, inventive and working against deadlines seemed to energize her. Sandra had the uncanny ability to identify a win/win solution to just about any problem, possibly because of her gift for insight. Sandra's fellow workers saw her as a supporter and a mentor.

      Because Sandra loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favourite pursuits were reading, singing, dancing and watching sports with husband, taking care of grandchildren, great grandchildren and playing computer games. Sandra had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favourite pastimes. However, Sandra's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.

      Sandra derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. In high school, Sandra played baseball, tennis and badminton. Recreational sports included bowling, baseball, fishing and golf. Sandra was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favourite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list was watching her favourite hockey team Pittsburg Penguins (Sidney Crosby).

      Throughout her life, Sandra was actively involved in professional and community organizations. She was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Sandra seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Sandra usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with her, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. In high school, Sandra was a member of the year book club. Throughout her later years, Sandra was an active member of the red hats society.

      Because Sandra was constantly in the center of things and where the action was, she always seemed willing to join in and help, regularly getting involved in community activities. Sandra's gift of planning and improvisation, along with a talent for rallying support, made her a great asset. Sandra found new ways of getting things done in order to help make just about every activity more efficient and enjoyable. Sandra was an active member of several community groups, serving on committees she also taught Sunday school at Whitby United Church. Politically, Sandra was Liberal supporter.

      Sandra was a woman who was dedicated and devoted to her faith. She was a member of Whitby United Church for 30 plus years. During that time, she taught Sunday school and was always closely involved in church activities. She was sympathetic and able to empathize with others and she used these qualities to the fullest while working tirelessly for her beliefs.

      Though she never did anything solely for individual recognition, Sandra's ingenuity, resourcefulness, and selflessness, earned her accolades for her many lifelong efforts. Some of her most prestigious awards included winner of "Whitby in Bloom" (2008-2011) and bowling awards.

      Sandra's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favourite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manor fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Sandra took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favourite vacations included Hawaii, South Carolina, Florida, and various family vacations to Elmherst Resorts.

      Sandra was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Annie a Shih-Tzu, and her favourite dog from the past Daffy (Mixed breed), was a best friend for Annie (11 years) and Daffy (13 years). Her family was rounded out by her cat named sugar and many other animals from the past including dogs, cats, birds and hamsters.

      When Sandra's retirement finally came in 1996, Sandra handled it the way she usually did. She adapted and, like everything in her life, made it satisfying. Because she was such a flexible person and able to adjust to any situation, retirement was just another enjoyable change of pace for Sandra to master. In retirement, she found new pleasure in caring for children and family, she also stayed active in church and with her friends. Even in retirement, Sandra continued to stay in touch with her old friends and like always, made plenty of new ones.

      Sandra Hanoski passed away on February 9, 2016 in the comfort of her home, after a long battle with cancer. She is survived by her beloved husband Robert, her children Rob, Donna and Wendy, her grandchildren Trisha, Kara, Jack, Dante and her great grandchild Zander. Services were held at Oshawa Funeral Home. Sandra was laid to rest in Mount Lawn Memorial Gardens.

      There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Sandra. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Sandra Hanoski for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Sandra was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.

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HANOSKI, Sandra Gayle

Peacefully at home on Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer. Beloved wife of Robert William Hanoski. Loving mother of Robert (Deborah), Donna (Todd) and Wendy (Scott). Cherished grandmother of Trisha, Kara, Jack and Dante. Adored great grandmother of Zander. Sammi will be fondly remembered by her uncles Donald and Frank Frauts and dearly missed by many, many other extended family and friends. Sandra retired form Whitby Hydro Electric commission, then pursued a 10 year child care career. She had a zest for life and was the voice and the glue of the family. Visitation will be held at OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) on Friday, February 12th from 6 – 9 p.m. Funeral Service will be held in the chapel on Saturday, February 13th at 2:00 p.m. Interment at Mount Lawn Cemetery. Memorial donations will be gratefully accepted to the Durham Humane society.