Sandra Ruth Waserman

It is with immense sadness that we say goodbye to Sandra Ruth Waserman, who passed away peacefully on January 22, 2026, after a battle with lymphoma. She was cared for at the Vancouver Hospice Society in Vancouver, BC, where she spent her last days with her family by her side. She is predeceased by her parents Nessie and Paul Waserman. She is survived by her daughters Andrea Borts and her husband Kent, Sheri Borts and her husband Jayson and her granddaughter Parker, her sister Mona Waserman and her niece and nephew Zuzu and Cory. She will be dearly missed by her husband of 50 years, Robert Morrisette.

Sandra was a humanitarian who gave much to the people she loved throughout her life. She loved long walks on the Seawall, helping guide others, deep conversations over a cup of tea, nourishing food, cuddling, music, dancing, writing, and reading. She lived her life full of love, humour, kindness, and a generosity of spirit. She loved to tell stories, share laughs, dance, and sing with her family. Her life was defined by joy, love, and connection. She was a deeply spiritual person and believed that people were capable of anything they put their minds to.

Sandra was born and spent her early years in Montreal, Quebec, before her family moved to Ottawa when she was 8 years old. Her family spent many wonderful summers at their maternal grandparents cottage in Lac Brulé in the Laurentians. In the late 1960’s, she met and married Howard Borts and had two children together. Sandra remarried in the 80’s and spent the rest of her life with her devoted husband Robert. Sandra and Robert made homes in many places over the years, moving to St. Adele in the Laurentians, then Toronto, Calgary, and finally to Vancouver where she spent the last 20 years of her life. 

She had many jobs in her 79 years. Some of the most memorable to her were hosting radio shows in the 70’s and 80’s in Ottawa and teaching yoga and health and wellness courses for the Ottawa school board and community centres. She was a model, an acting agent, an ACTRA award judge, and an advertising consultant for a mall in Calgary.

Independent, full of energy, and strong-willed, Sandra loved taking on new adventures, most of which were focused on helping others to see their full potential. In her last years, she organized a walking group for seniors through the Roundhouse Community Centre in downtown Vancouver. She cherished this group dearly, always sharing a joke of the day, health tips, and stretching techniques with them.  Learning about other people's lives and their fascinating stories on these epic walks really filled up her soul.

She was a lover of writing and would spend much of her time filling journals with stories that she shared with her family, and she passed on this love to her children. Sandra was a wonderful mother who gave of herself wholeheartedly. She instilled positivity into every moment with us. She was uplifting, deeply caring and wrote beautiful letters to her family that will stay with us forever. She was a radiant, shining light who gave everyone warmth and understanding. May her light live with us forever!

If you wish to honour her memory, you are welcome to make a donation to the Vancouver Hospice Society at www.vancouverhospice.org or to the Canadian Cancer Society at http://www.cancer.ca.