Obituary of Alexander Hainey

ALEX HAINEY Less than a month after he lost his beloved Eva, Alex passed away on Tuesday, December 22, 2009, after an incredible 89 years of love, laughter and adventure. "Pops" leaves behind his son, Glenn, his daughter-in-law, Susan, his three adoring grandchildren, David, Laura and Michael, and his sister, Ada. Alex was born in Dundee, Scotland, in 1920 and came to Canada as a child with his parents, Alex and Mary. They settled in Montreal where he attended Darcy McGee High School. In 1939, after Canada had entered the Second World War, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Dragoons Regiment of the Canadian Army and was sent overseas where he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst for officer training. He was commissioned a Captain and commanded an armored car squadron, serving in action in Italy and Germany for five years, probing behind the enemy lines to carry out recognizance for the allied troops. Toward the end of the war, he was actively involved in the liberation of Holland, which he described as most joyous and fulfilling. After five years overseas, he returned to Canada, a decorated war veteran, and in 1946 he married his lifelong partner and best friend, Eva. Alex then attended McGill University, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA Degree. He began working for Union Carbide Canada in Beauharnois, Quebec, and in 1964 moved to the company's head office in Toronto where he eventually served as Executive Vice President and as a member of the company's Board of Directors. He was active in the business community, serving on a number of Boards of Directors, including Intermetco Ltd. and Timminco Ltd. and teaching management courses at the University of Toronto and York University. Following his retirement from Union Carbide in 1985, he began his second business career with Drake Beam Morin, where he served as President for a number of years. Alex loved music, dancing and the theatre. For many years he produced and directed the annual Granite Club Review, which was enjoyed by so many and in which he always performed, singing and dancing to show tunes like "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy". He served as a Director of the Granite Club and later organized the "Maskers" - a talented group of performers who entertained at seniors residences and nursing homes around Toronto. He could break into song at the drop of a hat! Alex loved sports, particularly skiing, sailing and golf. He learned to ski in the Laurentian Mountains in the 1950s and in later years enjoyed nothing more than a day's skiing with his grandchildren at Georgian Peaks in Collingwood. The family lunches with Pops at the Peaks were legendary! He spent countless hours sailing on Lake Ontario on CARO and put up with all the yelling and screaming of sailboat racing to win the C&C 29 World Championships in 1989. In later years he spent very special times with his grandchildren on Lake Ontario. He discovered golf in his seventies - which became his passion. He loved his regular rounds at the Board of Trade with his great friends, Doug Holt and Bill Kilgour, from whom he regularly took the money! The centre of his life was his family. He adored Glenn and Susan and was fiercely proud of them both. David, Laura and Michael were truly his greatest gifts and, in his eyes, could do no wrong. The many family holidays, especially to Laurali in Bermuda, were the highlights of Alex and Eva's wonderful lives. There could not have been more love, laughter and happiness than there was on those occasions! As will be obvious to anyone reading this, Alex had a very full and rewarding life. Neither he, nor we, have any regrets. He was loved and respected, and he knew it. We will miss him immensely but we will never, ever forget him. Please join us for a celebration of Alex's incredible life on Thursday, January 7, 2010 at THE GRANITE CLUB, 2350 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, between 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Donations, if desired, can be made to Sunnybrook Foundation, 416-480-4483 or through the website www.sunnybrookfoundation.ca. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymiles.com.