January 8, 1942 – December 9, 2022
With heavy hearts we announce the sudden and tragic death of Andy Gawenda. With family by his side, Andy passed the morning of December 9, 2022, at 80 years of age. Andy lived his life to the fullest and will be missed by all who knew him, especially his wife Claudette (Dagenais) of 49 years, his loving daughters, Karie, Christie and Jaclyn; his son-in-laws Matt, Brian and Dave and his cherished grandchildren Ashley and Taylor, Tommy and Ellie and Owen and Ryder as well as his brother, George Gawenda.
Andy was born on January 8, 1942 in Tel Aviv, Palestine. His father (Adam Gawenda) was a doctor in the Polish Army and his mother (Irena Gawenda) was in the Civilian Women’s Corp in Tel Aviv. When Andy was 3 years old, his father was transferred to a Polish hospital in Egypt. In 1947, Andy’s family was evacuated to Southern England with thousands of other Polish refugees. After 5 years in England, Andy’s parents decided to immigrate to Canada where they settled into a small apartment near Roncesvalles Avenue in Toronto, Ontario.
Andy was an entrepreneur at heart. His studies began at U of T, where he studied Chemical Engineering. He then completed his MBA program in New York City. Subsequently, Andy pursued an exciting career with major advertising agencies. In 1986, along with Claudette, they built a successful advertising agency, “Gawenda and Company”. Andy “retired” in 2016, but he often said he would “never give up”.
Andy’s ultimate love of life came from adventures he took with his family and friends. He was always up for a dance party and would never turn down an opportunity for a good time. Andy will be remembered as an incredible athlete who possessed a zest for life in the outdoors. Whether it was mountain biking in the Dufferin Forest, white water kayaking with his lifelong friends on the Ottawa River or skiing and snowboarding at Mansfield Ski Club and the Rocky Mountains, he would never shy away from a challenge. Andy and Claudette’s love of ski trips, camping trips and roads trips have built a solid foundation in his family, which will forever live on.
Andy loved Claudette’s family so much and he treated them like they were his own. There were many road trips to Thunder Bay over the years. Andy formed a special bond with his friends in Cuba where his generosity lead to the name “Papa Noel”. Andy said he wanted to “give with a warm hand” and that, he always did. Andy had so many friends and touched so many people, he made friends everywhere he went.
Andy loved and adored his Claudette, his daughters and grandchildren more than anything. He wanted nothing but the best for them. He loved watching his grandchildren play hockey, ski race and perform at various dance recitals.
Andy will be deeply missed by everyone who was lucky enough to know and love him. May you rest in peace.
At Andy’s request, he has been cremated and a Celebration of Life will take place at a later date.
“Never Give Up” – Andy Gawenda
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, if desired, memorial contributions to the Collingwood
General Marine Hospital: https://cgmhf.com/donate (please note to be directed in memory of Andy Gawenda)