SUNDERLAND; Martin Keith
March 7, 1958 - September 3, 2015
How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. - A.A. Milne
After a brief battle with pancreatic cancer, Martin passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 3, 2015, surrounded by his loved ones. A member of the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service for 14 years, Martin remained true to his passion of working with and educating youth. Martin had a love for the ocean, cars, good wine, and a great meal, but most importantly, time spent with his family and friends. A loving husband, dedicated father, grandfather, brother, and son, Martin was also a loyal friend and mentor to so many. He was predeceased by his parents Goldyn and Agnes Sunderland. He leaves behind his wife of 32 years, Denise; children Sarah (Ken) and Stephen (Jenn); grandchildren Riley, Kaleb, Cohen, Issac, Emma, and Julianna; and his sisters, Vicki (Mike) and Patty (Robert). Martin has touched the lives of so many and will be greatly missed, but his light and love of life will live on in us all. Visitation will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home (2310 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford, BC) on Wednesday, September 9th from 7:00 - 9:00 pm. Funeral services will be held at King Road Church (32068 King Road, Abbotsford, BC) on Thursday, September 10th at 11:00am. Private family burial service follows. A reception to celebrate Martin’s life will be held at the Rancho (35110 Delair Road, Abbotsford, BC) on Thursday, September 10th at 1:00pm. The family wishes to thank the staff at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital, specifically Dr. Mitchinson, Amber, Cheyne and Jote of the Tertiary Palliative Care Unit who treated Martin with such respect and compassion into his final hours. The family also wants to express gratitude to his brothers and sisters from the Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service, friends, and members of the community who surrounded us with love and unwavering support through Martin’s journey.In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Martin’s name to the British Columbia Professional Firefighters Burn Fund (www.burnfund.org).
Online condolences to the family may be made at www.woodlawnfh-abbotsford.com
Woodlawn Funeral Home 604-853-2643