Sandra Joan (Sandi) Fairhurst

Sandi passed away peacefully on January 31, 2026 at the age of 82. She is survived by her wife, Darlene Douglas, her brother, Ken Fairhurst, nephews Brett and Layne Gardner, and niece Christa Gardner. A warm thank you goes to the staff at the Madison Care Centre in Coquitlam for the excellent and comforting attention in her final days.

Sandi was the beloved daughter of Joe and Mabel Fairhurst, sister of both Judy and Ken, and was a central part of our lives through the decades. We called her Joan or Joanie in the early years, though she preferred Sandi, from her first name, Sandra. We shared the many moments that became all the more meaningful over time—laughter at the kitchen table, playing “kick-the-can” and “hide-and-seek” with the neighbour kids on McCleery Street in Vancouver, and long summer days at Nanoose Bay on Vancouver Island staying in a beach-front cabin near to Aunt Lena’s and Uncle Arthur’s place where many of the Fairhurst clan would gather.

Sandi carried her natural grace and flair into everything she did. I remember the ceremony where she won a Topper Badge in Grade 6 for her soccer prowess at Kerrisdale Elementary School. While studying for high school exams, you would always find here in the back yard on 38th Avenue sunning herself. Sandi loved skiing, even after Ken disastrously trying to refinish the base of her old wooden skis as a Christmas surprise, which then just stuck to the snow and wouldn’t move an inch.

Sandi devoted her working life to psychiatric nursing at Woodlands School in New Westminster until her retirement. It was a profession that suited her caring nature. Her all-young patients were, no doubt, a great challenge, but would have appreciated her calm presence, professionalism, and quiet compassion she brought to her work each day. She maintained strong bonds with her fellow nurses well into retirement.

In her personal life, she found lasting happiness with her devoted wife of many years, Darlene, whose companionship meant the world to her. They had a fine home together, high up on Dawes Hill Road in Coquitlam, complete with manicured gardens, a beautiful swimming pool where the raccoons often took a dip, high hedges all around, and views all the way to Vancouver Island. The house was a reflection of their shared taste and love of comfort, beauty, and good company. Sandi loved RV’ing with Darlene in their sleek vehicle adventuring far and wide. While at the Madison, Darlene graciously provided much needed daily company and attention to Sandi in the final months of her life.

Sandi loved dogs. The earliest, was named Sandy, a “Heinz 57”, provided much pleasure in the Fairhurst family homes in Kerrisdale and Dunbar areas of Vancouver, then little Charlie, an adorable Shih Tsu, and later Bubbles, the boisterous Lab in the Douglas-Fairhurst family. They, along with Fuzzy the cat in the earlier years, were also a constant source of joy and loyalty, and she loved them as members of the family. When on the ferry to Nanaimo, Sandi and Ken as teen-agers or younger, would have fun pretending to see Fuzzy flying by on a seagull, talking in a unique voice they invented but thought real. At Nanoose Bay, our dog Sandy would wait for us to return from boating, swimming out to each passing boat till he found us and maybe to see what kinds of fish that we caught.

Sandi will be remembered for her warmth, her striking elegance, her devotion to others, and the gentle way she moved through the world. She leaves behind family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to know her. Her care-givers at Madison Care Centre are commended for the excellent and comforting attention in her final days. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered. In Darlene’s compassionate tribute to Sandi on the day of her departure, she stated: “Sandi is in a better place now”.