Al passed away on June 22, 2026, in Vancouver, B.C., at the age of 72, after living with Corticobasal Degeneration, a rare progressive neurological disorder. 

Al will be deeply missed by his wife, Sandy (née Binks); his children, Sarah and Adam (Tristen Gilchrist); and his precious granddaughter, Lia. He is lovingly remembered by his siblings, Jean Newell, Wendy Matthews (Rick), Donna Tansley (Grant), Keith (Pat), and John (Mary); as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Al was predeceased by his parents, Evelyn and Heard Hyslop, and sister, Alice Coull.

Al was born and raised in Hamilton, studied Engineering at the University of Guelph and lived most of his adult life in Erin, Ontario. 

Al enjoyed spending time outdoors with family and friends.  Whether canoeing, camping, hiking, road-tripping, travelling, skiing or golfing (not with a cart!), he was happiest when active and surrounded by people he loved. He also maintained that both warming up and exercise for its own sake were a waste of time.

Al cherished time spent with his granddaughter Lia, and never ceased to be amazed by her. He spent as much of the winter as he could at his cottage in Thornbury. There, he enjoyed hosting family and friends, skiing, playing crokinole and board games, and dispensing skiing advice (solicited or not).

Al read every article in Saturdays’ Globe and Mail and kept the business pages indefinitely. He took great pleasure in saving money, tinkering with cars, and wielding a chainsaw. He was generous with his time, never hesitating to lend a hand. His culinary repertoire included (and was largely limited to) porridge, tuna with Kraft Dinner, and curried chicken.  In the later stages of his illness music brought him comfort, connection, and moments of peace.

Thank you and much love to the many relatives and friends whose support helped Al and his family through some difficult years. Special thanks to Paul’s Club, a social group for people with young-onset dementia, which provided Al with community, purpose, and fun. We are also deeply grateful to the staff of Cedarview Lodge who took such good care of Al and shared moments of joy and laughter with him.

Al will be remembered for his curiosity, dependability, dry sense of humour, and the love he had for his family. 

If you would like to make a donation in Al’s name, please consider supporting Paul’s Club (e-transfer to michael@paulsclub.ca) or the Pacific Parkinson’s Research Institute which also supports atypical Parkinsonism (such as CBD)  [https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/11101].

A Celebration of Life will be held on August 6, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Case United Church in Hamilton, Ontario. RSVP is appreciated but not required.