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Alexander “Sandy” Worrell lived his life with challenges from both Down syndrome and autism.
Sandy, who was 65 when he died on July 25, was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1959 to parents James and Ruth Worrell. His dad, an RCMP officer, was working in the Canadian Embassy’s immigration department at the time as part of a five-year secondment to Europe.
A few years later, after living in Switzerland and the Netherlands, the family of three returned to Canada when Sandy’s dad was posted in Toronto. They moved onto Ottawa and, ultimately, Winnipeg in 1977.
It was while living near Toronto that Sandy’s mother became a fierce advocate for him. With her insistence, Sandy became a student at Harold Lawson School in Scarborough, Ont., an education and support facility for children with special needs. He later continued his education in Ottawa and Winnipeg.
He learned to read, write, draw, and interact socially with others.
When Sandy turned 18, cataracts made him functionally blind. With his mother’s help, he received lens implants before he turned 24.
Sandy’s health issues were compounded when his father, then an RCMP inspector, died by suicide at home in 1980. Sandy battled post traumatic stress disorder in the years that followed.
At age 42, Sandy moved into a group home operated by Direct Action in Support of Community Homes (DASCH). He enjoyed the house, his housemates and the daily programming.
A decade after James died, Ruth remarried. John Gongos, an RCMP assistant commissioner, became Sandy’s stepfather and a voracious volunteer for DASCH.
John helped the organization grow to operate 30 group homes across the city for those living with intellectual disabilities.
When he wasn’t at home, Sandy loved to go camping, swimming and fishing. He lived for family gatherings and loved listening to music, dancing and playing the drums and harmonica.
He also was a car enthusiast — he enjoyed drawing vehicles he wanted to see built and had a collection of models, magazines and books.
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Forty-five years after Sandy’s father tragically left him, he will rejoin him in October at the RCMP Cemetery at Depot in Regina, Sask. The marker has included Sandy’s name on it for decades.
John died in 2008 and Ruth Gongos (Worrell) followed in 2017.
Sandy’s family said in his obituary: “He warmed the hearts of all who knew him and beat the many odds that life presented him with.”
He is survived by numerous cousins, his step-family and his loving DASCH family.
Read more about Sandy.
How They Lived
Ron Walker worked as a pressman at the Free Press for more than 30 years and during many of those he was “in charge of the floor.”
Ron, who died on Aug. 16, 2025, was often called the “Walker Talker,” because of his love of storytelling.
Read more about Ron.
Dalvinder Kaur Obhi created awareness of mental health in the Asian community.
Dalvinder, who died at the age of 55 on Aug. 16, had an award winning career in mental health beginning with the Canadian Mental Health Authority (Interlake) and later as a cross-cultural mental health specialist.
Read more about Dalvinder.
Bruce Beck, who was 54 when he died on Aug. 23, spent the majority of his life fighting brain cancer.
He was diagnosed almost 30 years ago and didn’t let it stop him.
He joined Mensa International — scoring in the 98th percentile — and scuba dived and kayaked around the world.
Read more about Bruce.
Vicki Bialek’s headcheese, cabbage rolls and lemon meringue pie recipes were legendary. And, she was also an avid plate collector.
Vicki, who died Aug. 24 at the age of 91, had more plates than her family thought.
In fact, her four grandchildren inherited “many” boxes of them.
Read more about Vicki.
Desmond Donohoe was born on a farm, raised on a farm, took over the farm, and never retired from the farm.
He was also heavily involved in 4-H and was instrumental in founding the annual Western Canadian Classic Junior Dairy Show.
Read more about Desmond.
In the 1950s, Mary Roberts was working for a wool business in Sifton when the owners asked if they could name their company after her.
At that time, she was known as Mary Maximchuk. The owners cut it to Mary Maxim, and decades later it’s still a large craft company.
Read more about Mary.
A Life’s Story
Many locals will know Rita Master as a businesswoman that brought plus-size fashion to Winnipeg in the 1980s with her boutique, La Grande Femme, and later, Masters of London on Roblin Boulevard.
Rita, born in London, England in 1932, moved to Winnipeg in 1984 with her two children, after the unexpected death of her husband, Charlie Master.
Rita Master’s vibrancy shone through on her 90th birthday. (Supplied)
Familiar with the need to push through life’s challenges – she was just seven years old when the Second World War broke out, and she remained in England until the war’s end when she was 13 – Rita was quick to open her first store in Winnipeg after the move and get back on her feet.
“She approached life with grit and determination, never backing down from a challenge and never doing anything halfway. She said exactly what she thought, sometimes blunt, often bold, but always rooted in truth and love,” says her granddaughter, Arielle Lofchick.
Read more about Rita.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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