Obituary of Sarah Hood
An inveterate traveler, Sarah Hood departed this world on another adventure on March 16, 2026. She died at the Great War Memorial Site of the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital, close to her beloved son Ben Poole, the miracle of her life, and her ex-partner David Poole, who became a devoted friend. She was surrounded by the love of a multitude of friends in Brooke Valley, Perth, Ottawa and throughout Ontario and by family in England, the Niagara Region and Vancouver.
Sarah was preceded in death by her parents Alan and Rosemary Hood, her step-mother Anna Margaret “Peg” Graeb and her brother Martin Hood.
Besides her son, two things gave her life extraordinary meaning. A forty-four year career as a registered massage therapist sustained her as she eased the pain of countless clients and friends. Always curious as to how we function, she searched out effective treatment methods well into her sixties and delighted in finding the right approach to tricky problems.
Her other passion was to spend time out in the world. Her biggest journey was backpacking solo around the world for a year when she was sixty-one. Other huge thrills were a voyage to Antarctica, a cooking tour of Thailand led by Judy Dempsey and an epic overland truck trip through Africa. Even when dealing with cancer, she still enjoyed travelling in Japan, England, Ireland and France last year with Ben and David. The memories were splendid.
In a busy life she also skydived, sang in choirs and did some amateur acting. One of her cherished memories was performing in a production of The Vagina Monologues in 2002, where she transformed an ugly word into a beautiful sound.
The family thanks her dear doctor, Dr. Popiel and Marie and Tanya from Perth Family Medicine and Dr. May from the Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, all whom provided wonderful care as she dealt with cancer over the past few years. Sarah couldn’t say enough good things about her treatment from the doctors, nurses, RPN’s and staff who supported her at the hospital in Perth. Their kindness will always be remembered.
A celebration of Sarah’s life will be held later in the spring or early summer, Sarah’s favourite time of year. Donations in memory of Sarah can be made to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Dr. David Suzuki Foundation, The Canadian Cancer Society or the Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital Foundation. Arrangements are in the care of Blair & Son Funeral Home, Perth.
