With his family by his side, Andrew passed away peacefully, at home on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, in his 76th year. He will be dearly missed and is survived by his wife of 53 years, Betsy; his brother, Brian; son, Charlie (Carly); daughter, Alicia (Alan); and his loving grandchildren, Madison, Connor and Chelsea. Having completed his medical degree at the University of Toronto and internship at North York General Hospital by 1973, with an adventurous spirit, Andrew shipped off to Vietnam to inspect prisoner-of-war camps on behalf of the Canadian Red Cross. He was later joined by Betsy in travels throughout southeast Asia. Returning to Canada in 1974, he began his medical career with the expanded responsibilities afforded to small-town physicians, in St. Thomas, Ont., where he raised his children and worked in family practice. As with many Canadian physicians of his generation, Andrew was lured south in 1996, and enjoyed practising medicine with the Riverside Health System in Williamsburg, Virginia.
An avid reader, particularly of war history, he was captivated by firsthand accounts from patients during his time as medical director for the Patriots Colony Retirement Community for US veterans. Returning to Canada in 2001, he spent the next decade within the Rouge Valley Health System and administered stress echocardiograms in its cardiology clinic until his retirement in 2012. Owing to summers at Camp Hurontario where he fell in love with Georgian Bay, Andrew purchased a Cognashene island property in 1979, where the family has summered for the better part of the last half-century. Upon his retirement, it was there that he served as the president of the Honey Harbour Boat Club marina. Happiest in the winter on the slopes, Andrew enjoyed many ski trips through the US and Canadian Rockies and Europe.
He will be forever remembered for his greatest asset: his intellectual curiosity. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that you please consider a donation to the St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital Foundation or Georgian Bay Forever.