Mrs. Cheryl Anne Ciccarelli

Cheryl Anne Ciccarelli (nee Hastings) was born in Etobicoke, Ontario to Carl (d) and Hazel Hastings (d) on Mother's Day, May 14th, 1967.

We are grateful that she had spent the preceding days enjoying a wonderful vacation in her favourite place, Walt Disney World, with her spouse T-Ann and her nieces, Carolyn and Bridget. Cheryl is survived by her beloved spouse T-Ann, her cherished sons Harrison and Mackenzie, her parents-in-law Tony and Joan (d), siblings Mary, Carl (Caroline), Liz (Chris), brother-in-law Jay (Shawna) and sister-in-law, Tracey, her nieces and nephews, Adam (Carolyn), Keith (Paula), Matthew (Meagan), Mary, Sarah, Charlotte, Alyson, Briar, Bridget, Calvin S., and Allison, Emily (Dasan), Clare, Nicholas, Taylor (Liam), Calvin R., Chris, and Cecilia.

Cheryl was an intelligent, curious, energetic person, with great charisma. Cheryl's birth came as a welcome surprise to Hazel and Carl 12 years after Mary was born as a wonderful Mother’s Day gift. Cheryl was a sister who included her sisters and brother in her life, shared her great ideas, planned and led adventures. She nurtured a very close relationship with her siblings, spoiled her nephews and nieces and maintained close relationships with her cousins and friends. She loved to organize family events and made every party an event; she made us all feel so special.

After high school, Cheryl worked at Canada’s Wonderland where she met the love of her life, T-Ann. They enjoyed a long friendship, sharing their love of theme parks and Disney before marrying in 1994. With their shared love of Disney and dislike of winter, (she always said she hated the cold) they moved to Florida with their infant son, Harrison. They expanded their family while in Florida and welcomed their son, Mackenzie. After seven years, family ties and considerations for the kids, their young family returned to Canada. Cheryl adored her children and devoted herself to them as a stay-at-home mom in their early years. She was so proud to be their mom and made life with them a joy. As the boys reached their high school years, she returned to her marketing career.

It was in high school that Cheryl discovered her love of music, and this interest and talent that would become a passion for the rest of her life. When her family moved to Milton, she was a key figure in establishing the Milton Concert Band, organizing and overseeing the operations of the band for many years.

Cheryl enjoyed living in Milton and became an important and active member in the Town. She worked with the Chamber and BIA, meeting and fostering connections with many residents and business owners. Eventually, she became an interim Director with the Milton BIA.

Cheryl continued her love of travel, music, and family to the last day of her life. She had many interests and was an accomplished woman with so much to be proud of. She had a way of making people feel extraordinary and making every event magical. Cheryl was an inspiration to her family and friends and will be dearly missed.

My lovely Cheryl Anne

Thank you everyone for coming to honour the love of my life, my wife, partner and friend . My ride or die. Mother to our boys Harrison and Mackenzie, sister, Auntie Cheryl and friend to so many.

My lovely Cheryl Anne was the first born in Canada in her family.

I first met Cheryl at Canada's Wonderland when she joined our crew in 1986. We became friends, we started to hang out, and we quickly became best friends. We started planning events for our crew at the park and it was not uncommon for 40-50 wonderland cast member to descend upon a Swiss chalet or a Mother's pizza parlour.

At the seasons end, our friendship did not end. We began going to movies, mini golf and the like. We both returned to wonderland in 1987 and stayed for about 7 more years.

We also both found ourselves as students at Humber College. Over the years we travelled together to other amusement parks, Walt Disney World and even the Bahamas.

I moved to Florida to pursue my dream of working for Walt Disney World. Cheryl and I visited each other often, still just friends…honestly . Just after one of my visits in 1993 I woke up, I realized that this was the person I wanted to spend all my time with. So I being the idiot that I was, I wrote her a proposal letter. She says she never got it. So I proposed the idea of marriage by phone. And speaking of idiots she said yes. I married my best friend July 9,1994

We figured it out and started our life together.

We had our first son Harrison in 1997, moved to Florida and in 1999 had our second son Mackenzie. We moved back to Canada in 2003. We raised our boys “by not babying the baby” and we turned them Into theme park aficionados and great travellers.

Cheryl had a massive heart so full of love. I know the whole family is love. Cheryl taught me how to love and how to love myself. She had so much love for family, nephews, nieces, cousins, aunts, uncles, everyone.

Cheryl Anne loved to plan parties and it was not uncommon to have 60 people in our house and she always planned entertaining games for us to play. She loved crafting custom felt animals and toys for the children big and small.

Music was Cheryl’s passion. She started a band in town and became very civic aware in the town of Milton. Everyone knows Cheryl.

To me she was my safe space. My calm, my slap upside the head when I needed it.

I loved to feel her skin and kissing her soft lips. We loved holding each others hands. Like all relationships we had bumps in the road but not once did either of us “sleep on the couch”.

Our love for each other got us through everything

We both loved Disney and Walt Disney World and we were both proud that we were able to share that with our family., Extended family and friends.

Cheryl passed away while on vacation at Walt Disney world. We were have a fantastic time sharing with family right up until the end. Ciccarelli party of 18, we are moving, we are happy.

I want to thank Carolyn and Bridget who we were sharing our vacation with and for helping me when tragedy struck.

Mackenzie and Harrison, mommy had so much love for both of you. You were her greatest love achievements. She is so proud of you both.

I told Cheryl Anne how much I loved her everyday.

I miss you Cheryl Anne, my light, my love, my everything.

Thank you for loving me.

Do you know when you see a greeting card that says exactly what you want to say. Well there is a song that says everything I wanted to say to Cheryl, I want to share with you that song. Its by Bob Seger. I had shared it with Cheryl to express exactly what she means to me. The song is titled "It’s you".

Just about the time I think I've had it

Everything I've planned has fallen through

Just about the time the whole thing's crumblin' in

And I can't hold back no matter what I do

And just about the time I feel like screamin'

And findin' me a wall to punch right through

I look up and I just can't help smilin'

It's you, it's you

You're the only reason I'm still here, girl

You're the only one who keeps me sane

Somethin'' bout the way you've learned to calm me

And see me through the anger and the pain

And just about the time I'm standin' on the edge

And searchin' for a light to see me through

I look up and I can see it shinin'

It's you its you

I don't really claim to understand it

I just know the way you make me feel

No one has to tell me I'm a lucky man

No one has to tell me that it's real

And just about the time I think I've lost it

I'm lookin' for a hole to crawl into

I look up and I just can't believe it

It's you

It's you

I look up

And honey,

it's you

Gettin' me through

Keepin' it new

Our life together was well lived.

We loved

We had family

We travelled

We explored

We had no regrets

Our life was well lived.

I say to you all

Keep the ones you love close

Love, live, travel.

Church Eulogy - Carl Hastings (Brother to Cheryl Anne)

I am here to reflect on my dear sister Cheryl on behalf of myself, my sisters, Mary and Liz and our entire family. (T’Ann has prepared a beautiful tribute for the reception after the interment)

First and foremost I want to thank everyone for your generous outpouring of love and support. It means a great deal to our entire family.

As you know, Cheryl passed away suddenly and unexpectedly from an infection. She was 57 years old, far too young for all the life and love she still had to give.

Our family story began with our loving and faith- filled parents Carl and Hazel. My sister Mary was their first child. In 1965 when Mary was 10 - my parents made the journey from Calcutta to Canada for a better life for their family.

As the story goes my mom, who was a skilled nurse, believing she was unable to have any more children, went to the doctor thinking she had a tumor. When the doctor examined her he told her, “ yes, her tumor had a heart beat ”. Cheryl was born May 14th 1967

As my sister Mary recalls : My parents were overjoyed to welcome their beautiful new daughter and Mary was overjoyed to finally have a sister. She remembers Cheryl’s baby face was the carbon copy of mom and our parents were so happy that Cheryl was our first official Canadian. Her birth helped to cement our family’s connection to Canada and foster our love for our new homeland.

I was born a year after Cheryl and Liz arrived 2 years after me.

Our parents instilled a tremendous love of family and we all have fond memories of celebrations - birthdays, anniversaries, first communions, confirmations, graduations, weddings, and other family events surrounded by nana, uncles, aunts and cousins.

Mary, Liz and I all agree that Cheryl was extremely gifted.

Mary said it well when she reflected that Cheryl was an intelligent, curious and multi-talented individual. She could accomplish anything she set her mind to, whether work, community or family matters. Her love of music prompted her to start the Milton concert band with her friends Angela and Karen. A family party was always elevated with fun games she had devised, crazy themes and beautiful cakes.

My sisters and I all remember happy and funny memories of Cheryl.

Liz being the youngest had a special bond with Cheryl. She said, where other older sisters complained about taking their younger sisters along - Cheryl always welcomed her to join in and included her. Cheryl and Liz collaborated on many elaborate cakes although Lizzy always seemed to be the one left to clean up! Liz was very much a part of the Ciccarelli family and shared in family trips and Cheryl gave her a special place in the lives of her boys. She feels blessed to have been a part of all the love, laughter and adventures, and will cherish that.

I was her little brother. I did little brother things , like stab her in the leg on the way to school with a sharp pencil and set her hair on fire when she was doing a science fair project on smoke detectors. I like to think I was Cheryl’s favourite brother.

Despite those fun times, we were friends as well. We played in the band together for years - she was always first chair. We played marathon games of trivial pursuit and pictionary with friends and family and would often end the night singing Van Morrison, the Eagles and The Mills Brothers.

It was nice to see so many of Cheryl’s friends yesterday. From the band, from the Chamber of commerce and her friends Angela, Audrey and Iris - Friends she has had for over 45 years - thank you for being such good friends to our sister.

Cheryl had a great capacity for love that extended to all of the children in her life. She took great joy in spending time with all of her nephews and nieces. She loved baking with the kids and making special arts and crafts with special personal touches for each one. She took great joy in making clothes, toys and games for her boys and all the babies.

I can’t talk about Cheryl without mentioning Disney.

She loved spending time in Disney, especially with her family and friends. She knew all the ins and outs of the parks and would tell you the best place to stand for the parade or where to wait for the crowds to die down. She knew all the tricks. Cheryl got enjoyment, not just from taking people to Disney, but the joy came from seeing her family and friends having a great time. That’s what was most important to her. Cheryl loved to share joy.

Cheryl’s working career was varied. She went into marketing and worked for Eddie Bauer - we all had Gortex Jackets for a while. She worked for The Business Depot before it was Staples and was sent to open stores across Ontario, She was very close to taking a management position at the West Edmonton Mall and She worked for the Milton Chamber of commerce and became a bit of a city celebrity.

I saw my sister as a pretty big deal professionally.

She worked elsewhere, but Cheryl’s most life changing job was at … Wonderland

It was at Wonderland where Cheryl met T’Ann. They would have celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary this year. Over the years, I was happy to see my sister’s flair and personality matched by someone with an equal flair for the dramatic. They were truly best friends.

My sister was born on mother’s day and embraced the gift of motherhood. She would tell you that her 2 greatest accomplishments were her sons Harrison and Mackenzie.

She unequivocally loved and adored them. She was a hands-on mom and devoted herself to loving them.

Harrison and Mackenzie you were your mom’s pride and joy - her face lit up when she would tell a story about either of you - she was absolutely filled with joy when recalling the last family trip to the UK.

She loved you both from the moment she knew she was having you. She has always wanted the best for you and always wants you to know how loved and valued you both are.

Cheryl was happiest when she was around her family. She blessed our lives tremendously.

Cheryl’s passing has been difficult to comprehend. It's still hard to believe. Funeral arrangements had to be made quickly. T’Ann was able to get a burial plot close to mom and dad, just above their headstone. There is a little bit of comfort in knowing that Cheryl will be laid to rest close to mom and dad, but more comfort in thinking of her in their loving embrace, reunited in heaven.

Rest in peace dear sister