The new mega hospital in Windsor will be named after a local family thanks to a $40-million donation.
It will be known as the Fancsy Family Hospital, in recognition of the late John Thomas Fancsy.
The gift announcement at the site of the new hospital was attended by members of the Fancsy family, Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Health Sylvia Jones, local dignitaries and community leaders, along with John’s two beloved Labradors.
The donation is the largest ever received by the Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation and the largest publicly known gift in the Windsor-Essex Region.
John's sister Terry Fancsy said he made the decision to donate while recovering at Windsor Regional from spinal stenosis surgery.
"While there he experienced first hand the limitations of the current facility, including tight crowded spaces, shared patient rooms, and limited privacy. He sat back quietly observing just how is gift could better meet the communities needs," she said.
John, 65, passed away suddenly at his home, on Feb. 26, 2024.
Fancsy said her brother was a very private person with a big heart.
"If he were still alive, and making this gift, he would not be here today, he would be at home with dogs CT and KT, enjoying a glass of wine, happy knowing he was able to make a difference for those he loved and the community that meant so much to much to him," she said.
Fancsy said John's generosity is something he learned from his parents.
"John is following in the footsteps of both our mother and father who wanted to see a new hospital built to serve the entire community of Windsor-Essex, and we are honoured to have our family name on the new hospital," Fancsy said.
The Fancsy Family
John was a brilliant engineer who went on to join the family business after graduating with a degree in mathematics from the University of Guelph and a degree in engineering from the University of Windsor. As a wine connoisseur, he joined his brother Stephen to found the award-winning Viewpointe Estate Winery in Harrow. John had a passion for supporting local endeavours and was instrumental in establishing Essex County as a premier destination for wine enthusiasts. The Fancsy family has deep ties to Windsor-Essex and played a vital role in shaping the local automotive sector.
John’s grandfather, Stephen Fancsy, co-founded major auto parts manufacturing companies, actively growing the sector and employing thousands of people locally.John’s late mother, Antoinette (née Goyeau), came from a family whose roots date back to early French settlement in Windsor-Goyeau Street spans what was once the Goyeau family farm. She also studied nursing and worked at Hôtel-Dieu Hospital, now Windsor Regional Hospital’s Ouellette Campus.
John’s parents, Antoinette and Steve, had a long history of quiet generosity in the community, a value they instilled in their children from a young age. Like John, Antoinette included a generous gift to the new hospital in her will, and upon her passing in 2016, she was among the first to request that donations in her memory be made to the new hospital. Guided by his parents’ selfless example, John channeled his deep passion for his community into making a meaningful and lasting impact on healthcare throughout the region.
As a life-long resident of Windsor-Essex, John was always looking for ways to help this area grow and prosper, according to his five siblings.
In recognition of this transformational gift, the Boards of Windsor Regional Hospital and Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation voted to name the new hospital "The Fancsy Family Hospital."
WRH said this decision is consistent with other hospital namings across the province and the approach is supported by the Government of Ontario.
While hospitals in the province are primarily paid for by the province, the local community is responsible for funding 10 per cent of hospital construction costs, as well as 100 per cent of the furniture, fixtures, equipment, parking and shell space.