André Terpstra

1970 - 2019

André (Gerard) Terpstra, born on September 25th, 1970, passed away on February 19th, 2019. André was an *amazing* human being, who exuded endless potential that you just knew, would manifest further with time. Passing away at age 48, his was a life thus cut too short. Passionate, driven and a self-made man, André embraced loving kindness, positive thinking and action, self-confidence and perseverance in the face of adversity. He generously shared with others, his heartfelt warmth, inspiring sense of joy, spirited sense of adventure and enthusiasm for life, and won the admiration, hearts and friendship of so many people. Precious to his family and friends, he will be dearly missed.

His personality and relationships
André was a highly intelligent, warm-hearted and sociable person who inspired others. He embraced challenges and learning, and lived his life to the fullest. André loved to laugh, was the first to dance and was a phenomenal storyteller. With hands and fingers moving, sometimes swinging wildly or tapping the listener strongly on the arm, his facial expressions and voice changing tones, depending on how much drama the story called for, all made for awesome enjoyment. He had many long-time close friendships, and enjoyed meeting new people. He was unique in that he could talk with anyone, no matter how different from himself. He loved visiting with friends and family, especially his nieces and nephews, and often went to Timmins to spend time with his sister Lise-Anne and her family.

Personal interests
André was fun-loving, klutzy, forgetful, resourceful and generous with his gifts. A polymath, he loved to research and learn everything about a topic of interest to the nth degree. He was very knowledgeable about computers and audio-visual electronics. André also had a very keen interest in cooking, and acquired French Chef certification. He took pride in creating remarkable feasts for family and friends ~specialties were pizza and BBQ ribs. He appreciated excellence in food, movies/TV series, music, aesthetics and was a great photographer. Interested in nutrition and exercise science, he loved to explore and travel, especially in nature. He was a hiker, cyclist, paddle boarder and yoga practitioner. He loved all things Toronto Blue Jays; also the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Raptors and boxing/MMA.

The course of his life and career
Born and raised in Thunder Bay, André grew up in a loving, large family, with the freedom to roam, learn, play, imagine and explore, in a home close to nature. Like others who pursue a unique path, fuelled by his innate self-confidence and independence, André left high school early and started working, compelled to create a life that suited his interests and abilities. He moved to Winnipeg, where his mother Denise lived and worked hard/long hours at pizzerias and UPS, while also attending night school part-time. André felt inspired to continue in business and had an entrepreneur's mind ~a path that he successfully pursued all his life. He opened his own gourmet pizza restaurant, André's Cafe. Later, he transitioned into sales with TriStar, and when the company opened an Ontario branch, he jumped at the opportunity.

He hit the road, visiting family on his way to southern Ontario, to create another new beginning. First based in Oshawa, André continued to develop his trade as a commissioned salesman ~a natural ability, and he refined his skills with experience. Later based in Port Credit, he worked in Toronto and the GTA, as sales territories shifted. André moved up to corporate sales of various kinds. He became an award-winning, top salesman in Canada ~within the top five percentile. Dedicated, he felt driven to excel for its own sake, as he loved working with people, learning and challenging himself. He was awarded tropical vacation trips for his efforts, planting a seed of adventure. André bought a beautiful home and settled in Oakville, enjoying many fruitful years. He also considered what he wanted more out of life; his answer was to travel more.

Travels
André decided to make a major life change. He sold his home to fund a year-long dream vacation in Canada, the US and Mexico, and would also document his trip, via an online travel blog. He wanted to travel and explore the places that he had long dreamed about, and to share his experiences with others, especially family and friends. He bought a truck and trailer, and visited with family while he prepared for his epic adventure.

André headed West past Winnipeg until the snow flew, and then entered the US. He meandered down to Florida, then sojourned on Mexico's gulf coast. He flew to Canada for a short family visit, then back to the US to meet his niece, and experience Las Vegas and UT/AZ/NV national parks, including the Grand Canyon. Back on his own, he drove to California, up the West Coast and hiked a remarkable redwood forest reserve... he wanted more time to explore, but was running out of US travel time. André visited his brother and family in Tacoma WA, then returned to Canada. He hiked the mountains of BC and Alberta, crossed the prairies, saw friends in Winnipeg, then returned home to visit family in Thunder Bay and Timmins.

After the end of his journey, sadly, André's health took a turn and he passed away. We are left treasuring our memories, including his travel blog, yet another precious gift. With his truck and trailer, he hiked, mountain biked, paddle-boarded and camped through the continent. André visited urban areas, but he loved the quiet and wild regions, off the beaten track. Through his appreciative eyes, we felt inspired as we saw the wonder of diverse landscapes, visited new places and people, and shared in his spirit of adventure.

André was predeceased by his grandmother Anita Roy, stepfather John Cope and stepmother Cheryl Terpstra. He will be lovingly remembered by his father Johan Terpstra, his mother Denise Terpstra and his siblings: Danny Terpstra (Christie McMearty), Monique Strong (Caleb Strong), Renée Terpstra (David Karasiewicz), Marcel Terpstra (Kelly French-Terpstra), Lise-Anne Gilbert (Laurent Gilbert), Joshua Terpstra (Chelsey Terpstra), Ashlyn Terpstra, Geoffrey Terpstra; nieces/nephews: Ciel Herst (Mike Herst), Alan, Angus, Ainsley, Max, Sam, Melia, Hollis, Annick and Nicolas (Nico). Our family would like to thank André's friends for their kindness and stories. A private Celebration of Life was held on August 3rd, 2019, with internment of André's ashes at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Our hearts mourn his absence; the joy- and light-filled space that he left behind cannot be replaced... Be at peace André. Know that you were so brave and did your best in life. We are proud of you and feel honoured to have known you. We are grateful for all that you are, and the times that we shared with you. You will forever live in our hearts.

“The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It's not only their unbelievable stature, nor the color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no, they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time.”
—John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America