Alexander Mutch

Mutch, Alexander Douglas (Sandy)

1920 – 2018

Passed away peacefully at the Perley Rideau Veteran's Health Centre on April 15, 2018, 98 years old. Sandy is survived by his children: Elaine Petermann (Tony), Rory Mutch (Kathy), Linda Seaden (George) and Douglas Mutch; and by his grandchildren: Rob and Joe Petermann (Lisa), Carly and Linsey Mutch (Marcel MacDonald); Amy and Maia Seaden; Kevin and Stephen Mutch (Brenna). By his great-grandchildren, Rowan and Amelia MacDonald. By his "little sister" Nancy Plunkett (Ron) and numerous nieces and nephews in England and Canada.

A child of the manse, Sandy came from a long line of Presbyterian ministers on both sides of the family. His father served in Truro, Halifax, Regina and Hamilton. Born April 7, 1920 in Toronto, Sandy was the second of four sons, and one daughter born to John Mutch and his wife, Marjory Fraser. All the boys signed up for military service during WW2 and one, Rory, was killed in action in the El Alamein campaign in 1942.

Sandy enlisted in the RCAF in March 1940 and was trained as a Radio Mechanic in Montreal. He was sent to Lincolnshire, England to service the aircraft of No. 1 and No. 2 fighter Squadrons. He met and married, an English farm girl, Dinah Smithson in 1943. (Their marriage of 66 years ended with Dinah's death in May 2009.) Further training on two-engine aircraft led to four - engine Halifaxes and Lancasters of 428 "Ghost Squadron", 24 missions over Germany. With government assistance, Sandy completed a B.A.Sc. in Mining Geology and a Master's in Mining Geology at the University of Toronto.

Sandy, Dinah and four children followed his career to Sudbury, Onaping, Falconbridge and Montreal with Falconbridge Nickel Mines for 17 years. He spent 10 years leading the Raglan Ungava project in Quebec, and spent two decades in Toronto working for a variety of organizations as an employee or consultant in exploration, mine contracting, financial analysis and cargo inspection in Canada, the US, Europe and Australia until retirement in 1991. He traveled extensively in northern Canada and enjoyed holidays in the Caribbean, Bermuda, England, Australia and Canada culminating in an Alaskan cruise in 2013. His long-standing interest in climate change developed into a crusade to convince the world that spending billions to manage carbon is pointless.

He was proud of his Scottish heritage and compiled a family history from Scotland, through the arrival in Canada of the Frasers in 1773 aboard the Hector. He kept in touch with all branches of his family, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. His own young family went to church on Sundays, with family outings in the afternoon - exploring back roads, hiking, picking wild blueberries. Summers were spent by Windy Lake or Wahnipitae. In winter, he introduced the children to skating and skiing on the new hill in Onaping, passing on his love of nature and outdoor activities.

Sandy and Dinah were active members of churches, horticultural and orchid societies in Montreal, Toronto, Bramalea and Stittsville. He continued to be active at Stillwater Creek Retirement Community, helping with the newsletter, leading the men's discussion group and enjoying many activities. He continued his decades of gardening on a balcony and was actively involved with grandchildren and great-grandchildren providing advice on university choices and enjoying more holidays visiting them.

Thank you to the staff at Stillwater Creek and the Perley Rideau Veterans' Health Center for their care in the last few years. The warm, friendly and professional care was much appreciated by Sandy and the whole Mutch family.

Visitation will be at the Garden Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes

3440 Richmond Road (between Bayshore and Baseline Road) on Friday, April 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. and on Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m. until service at 11 a.m. A reception will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. Private burial at Beechwood. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Bells Corners United Church, 3955 Old Richmond Rd, Nepean, ON K2H 5C5 or The Ottawa Mission in recognition of their support of young veterans and the aboriginal community.