Sandra-Faye Nagy (Formerly Saunders) (SADD)

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Sandra was born in Matamata but began her schooling briefly on Waiheke Island, before returning to Matamata Primary School. Her family moved to Tokoroa, but Sandra eventually returned to Matamata where she completed her secondary schooling at Matamata College and gained School Certificate.  Sandra worked for a year travelling throughout Australia, then at John Courts Department Store in Auckland and NZ Forest Products in Tokoroa before leaving New Zealand in 1968.

 

In 1970 she joined Canadian Pacific Airlines as in-flight crew.  Through the good fortune of an airline career, she has travelled to many parts of the globe and hiked in a variety of terrain.  It has been a lifetime of exciting destinations and service to the public.   Sandra has loved every minute of her career.   It also afforded her the opportunity to return to New Zealand on numerous occasions.  Keeping in touch with her home country she has maintained contact with wonderful friends – two from school days in Matamata.

 

Sandra married in 1972 and had two children – Adam Saunders and Lara-Fiona Saunders.  Lara is married and has two boys – Christopher and Alexander.

In 1998 Sandra remarried and she and Dennis took early retirement from Air Canada at the end of 2001 and went off-shore sailing – from Canada down to New Zealand with multiple stops down the USA, Mexico, Galapagos Islands, French Polynesia (with a side trip to Easter Island), the Cook Islands, Nuie and Tonga.

 

They returned to Canada in 2005 and are now resident on Vancouver Island off the BC mainland.  They live in the beautiful Cowichan Valley where she is fortunate to continue her love of the outdoors with the Cowichan Hikers.

 

In 2006 Sandra began research on one of her family lines, published “Brompton, The Smith Legacy” as well as co-researched all the descendants from William Smith, culminating in a grand family reunion and book launch in Onehunga in 2013.

 

In September 2013 Sandra embarks on an ancient pilgrimage route from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, walking 780 kms via the Camino Frances.

 

Through the years, her service to the community has been through various volunteer and charitable positions including Junior League, Boys & Girls Club, York House School, Canadian Airlines and TOPS.  Sandra plays harmonica weekly with The Cowichan Harmonica Band and guitar weekly with The Singing Strings.