Obituary for Andrew Aubrey Irwin

Life Story for Andrew Aubrey Irwin

ANDREW A. IRWIN

Andy was born in Regina, Sask. And at the early age of six decided that wasn’t the place to live so he moved to beautiful British Columbia.
He grew up attending school in New Westminster where he was the first recruit to the Sea Cadet Corp. when it was formed in 1941. He was also the first member of the Corp to join the RCNVR signing on in February 1943.
After basic training at HMCS Discovery and HMCS Naden he was drafted in October 43 to HMS Lightfoot an Algerine Minesweeper in Halifax.
In January ’44 Andy was sent from HMCS NIOBE as pre-commissioning Crew to HMCS Algonquin then being readied at John Browns Shipyard in Glasgow.
He became permanent crew on Algonquin on its commissioning in February ’44 under command of then LCDR Desmond W. Piers RCN.
In March ’44 Algonquin joined the 26th Destroyer Flotilla with the British Home Fleet in Scapa Flow. They were involved in operations off the Norwegian Coast which included action against the Tirpitz lying in Alta Fjord, and a convoy to Murmansk.
In late May ’44 Algonquin proceeded south to Portsmouth to join in “Operation Neptune” the invasion of Normandy.
Algonquin returned to Scapa Flow in late June to rejoin the Home Fleet and continue operations off the coast of Norway, with convoys to Murmansk, a rescue operation when HMCS Nabob was torpedoed in late August with a shoot-up of a 12 – 15 ship escorted convoy in mid October.
The ship returned to Halifax in February ’45 when Andy was sent before Captain “D” Halifax Officers Selection Board.
Following leave he went to Officers Training at HMCS Cornwallis completing the course in late June. He elected not to sign for the Pacific, took his discharge and enrolled at the University of British Columbia graduating with a B.A. (Chemistry & Math) in 1950.
Andy joined the chemical Division of Shell Canada on the West Coast as their first Sales Representative in ’52 and was transferred to the Montreal Branch in ’54.
Natural Gas arrived in the interior of British Columbia in ’57 and he joined Inland Natural Gas as Sales & Service Manager, headquartered in Vancouver.
In 1960 he moved to Lakeland Natural Gas in Kingston Ont. where he progressed from General Sales Manager to Vice President, General Manager & Director. In 1967 on the consolidation of the Ontario operations of the Company he was transferred by the parent company NORCEN to be Vice President Marketing & Development of Greater Winnipeg Gas where he serviced until 1971. He was then assigned to the Head Office of NORCEN ENERGY in Toronto as Assistant Manager Business Development.
From 1974 – 1982 he was Vice President and General Manager Rideau Centre Corporation involved in the development of the Rideau Centre complex in downtown Ottawa.
In 1983 he was appointed Executive Assistant to the Vice President Real Estate and Development Hudson’s Bay Company and Markborough Properties.
In 1986 together with a former associate in the Natural Gas industry they created Eastern Natural Gas Management Ltd which became a successful energy consulting firm. Following several mergers and aquisitions Andy retired from energy consulting in 2000.
Over the years Andy was very active in the United Way organizations in the communities in which he lived as well as Hospital Boards and Service Clubs. While in Winnipeg he was Assistant Campaign Chairman of the United Way in 69 becoming Chairman in 70. Under his leadership it was the first time a campaign exceeded it`s goal. In this year over $4 Million was raised. He also served on the National Executive of The United Way of Canada.
In 1995 Andy was appointed to the Board of NOAC Toronto Branch and served as President from May ’96 thru May 2000. Following he served on the National Board of NOAC and was Fund Raising Chairman for the NOAC Endowment Fund.
He has been an avid sailor and member of the Port Credit Yacht Club in Mississauga, ON, were he and his wife Elaine reside.
In 2015 A Diplomat from the French Embassy in Ottawa presented Andy with The French Legion of Honour Medal at H.M.C.S York
In 2016 A Diplomat from the Russian Embassy in Ottawa presented The Russian Ushakov Medal to Andy at P.C.Y.C.
May 25th 2017 he was awarded The 2017 Citizen of the Year Award
Andy has three children and six grandchildren and one great grandchild