Andrew Donald Milne, 86, passed away peacefully on September 11, 2024, with his loyal dog, Jack-Jack, by his side. He is survived by his sisters, Sheila Leach and Nancy Milne, along with nieces and nephews: Sarah and Marc Leach, Leslie and Michael Zavershnik. Andrew was born in North Bay, Ontario, on July 6, 1938, to Donald Weir Milne and Dorothy Janet Moodie. He cherished memories of vacations in Jamaica and many summers at the family cottage on Trout Lake in Ontario with his sisters. Sadly, Andrew’s mother passed away when he was only seven years old.
In his early years, he attended King George public school in North Bay and later went to boarding school at St. Andrew’s College in Aurora. He went on to attend prestigious schools such as MIT, UofT, and UBC, where he earned his Bachelor of Architecture and Economics degrees. Andrew later worked in the offices of his mentor, Arthur Erickson. Andy loved his “old farm” on the river in Fort Langley and lived there for most of his adult life. He often talked about his grandfather Walter T. Moodie, whom he would join often for lunch as a student at The Vancouver Club. Andy was a proud Conservative and a founding member of The John A. Macdonald Society. Andy was also a great collector of motorcycles and would never pass up a road trip.
Andrew wore many hats. During 1967-1968, he lectured in architecture at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. He then became self-employed as an architectural and planning consultant, doing extensive work for the federal government. Additionally, he was involved in various commercial and residential projects throughout BC.
In 1971, Andrew was elected to the Langley District Council and served as an alderman from 1972 to 1973, during which time he was also President of the Fort Langley Board of Trade. He was Executive Director of the Central Fraser Valley Regional District and a member of the Lower Mainland Review Board. Active in the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada for many years, he also served on the executive of the Fraser Valley West Constituency Association. From 1989 to 1993, Andrew served on the Parole Board of Canada. In the 1990s, he served as Board Chair of Kwantlen Polytechnic University. He was also involved with the BC fishing industry for over 40 years and was a mentor to many through his efforts to professionalize the geoduck industry, helping to establish what is now the well-respected Underwater Harvesters Association (UHA).
An avid historian and politically engaged individual, Andrew had a passion for reading, travel and a nice glass of wine. He was a wealth of knowledge and will be remembered for his kind, witty, and stubborn personality, but most importantly, as an anchor for his closest friends.
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