It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sarah Ann Cowan of Toronto, Ontario, at 82 years of age. Ann passed peacefully in her home on the morning of July 17th, 2024 with her husband at her side. Now, she is at rest after suffering years of chronic pain and illness.
Ann was born in Hull, Quebec in 1942 and raised in a tight-knit family, the fifth of six siblings: Frances (Cookie) Blackburn(the late John) Patricia Clark(Peter), Barbara Burns, and the late Dorothy (Dottie) Sauve (Gerard) , John Burns(Colleen), and her mother the late Dorothy Burns(nee Bonner) and father George Burns.
It wasn’t an easy childhood with a single working mother and very little to go around with six kids. Ann mostly stayed out of trouble with the nuns at her convent school; the same can’t be said for all her siblings! The kids would taunt Ann over her heavily freckled face and ask if she stood behind a screen whilst rust was sprayed at it! Ann graduated in Ottawa from the Notre Dame Convent with a commercial diploma in English and French and went on to work at the then Civil Service Association(now PSAC) and climbed the ladder to the President’s Office in short order.
Living in Ottawa, she met her future husband Wayne Philip Cowan on the ski hills of Camp Fortune in Chelsea, Quebec, was married in 1963 and shortly after having two children in Ottawa, Cynthia Ann and Christopher Robert, they followed Wayne’s career to Toronto where they settled and had another daughter, Jennifer Lynne. Ann was a stay-at-home mother to her three kids, with particular challenges raising a visually impaired daughter. Ann was very active in the community. She took up tennis and soon became not only one of the local community club’s leading players, but also President of the club where she spearheaded and even financially guaranteed the building of the Clubhouse there. In the neighbourhood and in tennis, Ann formed some of her closest friendships including Lynne, Gayle, Meg, Benita, Janice, Muriel, not to mention dear childhood friend Louise.
Once her kids had reached middle-school, Ann decided she wanted to re-enter the workforce. She was in great demand for her bilingual administrative skills as a “Kelly-Girl” Temp, but she soon realized she had a flair for sales with her amazing people skills. Ann worked her way up through sales to eventually become the National Sales manager for a company in ophthalmic surgical equipment. Ann was loved by O.R. nurses and the young Ophthalmologists she trained in the use of leading edge surgical equipment. She introduced doctors to ground breaking phacoemulsification and sold every one of the first excimer lasers in Canada , pioneering laser vision correction in this country. It wasn’t long before she’d stepped into the position of President of the Canadian subsidiary. The opportunity presented itself for Ann to found her own company shortly thereafter to relieve the parent company of it’s subsidiary in favour of a Distributor. Thus, she founded Sacor Inc., in July 1995, appropriately named for it’s founder: S(Sarah) A(Ann) C(Cowan) OR, Inc.
Ann brought her son into the business in 1998 which would allow her the peace of mind to step back from it after suffering a heart attack a year later. Although, nothing would stop her from recovering just in time to attend her son’s wedding less than a month later. Ann re-focused on family and friends in her early retirement and suffered a few more personal and health setbacks including a couple of bouts of cancer and recovery from aggressive radiation, and the tragic loss of her eldest daughter Cindy to ovarian cancer in 2013. Subsequently, she was blessed with three grandsons who had the privilege to grow up next door to their beloved grandma… and boy, did she like to spoil them rotten! She was a doting grandmother and it brought her great joy to share so closely in their upbringing. Ann had a rare relationship with her daughter-in-law, Veronica. The two shared a love of the family, amongst other things. There wasn’t a single thing that interfered in their idyllic in-law relationship…well, except perhaps one incident, hereafter referred to as “Chupie-gate.” The eldest grandson, age 2 at the time, obsessed with the chupie(Spanish for chupete or pacifier), was finally weaned off it, only to be babysat by grandma that weekend who unbeknownst to the unsuspecting parents, harboured multiple chupies in a secret stash. It all “hit the fan” when said parents found out their efforts had been undermined by a grandmother that wanted nothing more than to see her grandchild (and all others in her life for that matter) enjoy and relish in all things that brought them pleasure! This was the heart of “grandma” and indeed of Ann herself. If you like it, do it! Not necessarily a bad motto to live your life.
Even in decline, Ann rarely missed a beat. She still needed to secretly dole out fun-money to her grandsons, affectionately known as the B.O.G.(Bank of Grandma). She still needed to tear-up the mall with her credit card, keeping many retail stores in business even through their toughest times! (We are not quite sure how Fairview Mall will survive without her!) She still needed to remind her husband of 61 years that “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” did not apply in “her” household, and to relent was the wise decision! Ann, you were an amazing daughter, sister, aunt, mother, grandmother, wife and partner, entrepreneur and to many, a hero. Here’s to a life well-lived!
Ann is survived by her spouse Wayne Cowan, son Christopher(Veronica), daughter Jennifer(Carl), grandsons Avery, Holden & Oliver and pre-deceased by her beautiful soul of a daughter with whom she’ll now be reunited, Cynthia Ann.
The family will hold a private interment, but will welcome all family and friends to a casual drop-in Celebration of Life at which you can share your fondest memories of Ann (and hugs if you’re so inclined).
To be held on the 29th of July, 2024 from 2 p.m.- 5 p.m. at the Donalda Club, 12 Bushbury Drive, Toronto, ON. Plenty of parking. (Please note cell phones must be silenced on the club premises and phone conversations may only take place in the parking lot). Light refreshments will be served. If you care to jot down a special memory or memories or photo on paper and leave them with us for a memory book, it would be most welcome.
In lieu of flowers, the family would request your consideration of donation to the Canadian Cancer Society or any charity of your choice in Ann’s memory.
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