Zachary Sutherland

...was a gentle, caring son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend. He strived for balance in work and pleasure, knowing that life is about being loved and giving love back to anyone who came across him whether it be from sporting activities, school or teaching children how to swim during the last 5 summers.

Zach had the knack from when he was young to be able to charm both adults and children. He genuinely loved talking and listening to everyone and knew how to make them feel special. He has kept friends from elementary school and kept on adding to his social circle as he progressed to high school and university at Guelph. Many of his friends he considered like brothers.

He had to grow up quickly due to family circumstances. He never begrudged this but kept the family moving forward with a happy demeanor and with purpose.

He loved being active whether it was from organized sports, shooting hoops on the driveway or walking the golf course at North Halton with his buddies.

He loved cooking gourmet meals and sharing this with his family.

Zach was an incredibly affectionate person who would embrace you with such a comforting hug. He always told his parents how much he loved them and would always have a special forehead kiss for his dad before bed. His brothers were also his best friends. They shared this bond from a very early age and it only got stronger through the years. There was never any jealousy just encouragement for each other to reach their goals.

Zach found the special person to share his life with early, first teasing Kaya until she figured out that the teasing was his way of expressing that he really liked her. They have ultimately been together from that time until now, only eight years in time but just over a third of their lives.

Zach was the one who ultimately persuaded us to buy our home on the Credit River. He loved it here and was so excited to be so close to nature. He and Kaya set out on their last adventure so incredibly happy. Embracing and laughing as they prepared for their outing on the unusually beautiful, sunny, calm February day. If we could only turn back time we so desperately would but we know we don’t possess that power. It needs to be remembered that they were both so happy spending this time together and making one another better people. To honor their passing they would want people to be kinder to anyone they encounter and not to complain about the small stuff.

Zach was generous with his time and thoughts and dreamed of making the world more kind, contributions can be made to any charity that fulfills this goal.