Obituaries

It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of Duncan (Gary) Fiander’s passing. He was born in Halifax, NS on September 30, 1959, and died at the age of 63 on May 13, 2023, after a 5-year battle with Alzheimer’s Disease .He is survived by his beloved wife, Teeny (Warnell) Fiander who was by Duncan’s side throughout his end of life journey, providing her love and support every step of the way. As a result of her dedication and constant care, he was able to live at home right up until the last few months of his life. Duncan is also survived by a brother, William (Bill) Fiander, Red Deer, AB; a sister, Donna (Fiander) Korvell, Olympia, WA; a niece, Kristin, Lakewood, WA; a nephew, Vincent, and a niece, Monica, both of Edmondton, AB. He was predeceased by his father, Duncan (Don) Fiander, and his mother, Rita (Vallis) Fiander, both originally from Coomb’s Cove, NL. He was blessed to be embraced by his wife’s extended family, and was always treated like one of their own. They were a huge source of support for Teeny during Duncan’s illness, always there to help in any way they could. He also had many friends over the years, but his best was Gary Buckland, who was just as close as family. Duncan accepted his diagnosis stoically back in 2018, saying that he had done everything he had ever wanted to do in his life. His career paths had taken him all over the world, starting out as a Commercial Oil Field Diver employed by Taylor Diving / Hydrospace, then working 20+ years in the tech industry, most recently as a Systems Engineer and Analyst at Intel in San Jose, California. He enjoyed sharing memories of his travels, and packed more experiences into his life than most people could ever imagine. He loved working and had no intention of ever retiring. He loved playing hockey and participating in the annual Snoopy’s Senior World Hockey Tournaments. He was an excellent Goalie and played for many years on teams in San Jose. But his greatest passion was riding Harley Davidson Motorcycles. He took great pride in his last bike, a Fat Boy, that he loved to ride in the hills of northern California. Duncan was also super handy around the house, whether it was sprucing up a bathroom or fixing a foundation problem, he knew exactly what to do. He also developed a reputation as a tech wizard because he could solve any and all problems! Duncan lived a wonderful life, but he never forgot falling on hard times when he was first starting out. He knew what it meant to go hungry. On trips to Tim Horton’s, he always thought of the homeless people, wishing he could buy coffee and donuts for them too. When it came close to any holiday, he always wanted to do something for the homeless. He and his wife would buy a couple of turkeys and perishables and drop them off at a church in Lower Sackville that had a soup kitchen and served the homeless. They also tithed to their own church which also served the needy, locally and internationally. A private family memorial service is scheduled for 11:00 am on Friday, May 26th, 2023, at the Nazarene

Church, 3 Henry Street, Dartmouth, NS, B3A 3C3. In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Society of Nova Scotia, 112-2719 Gladstone Street, Halifax, NS, B3K 4W6