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BORN
1936
DIED
2021
Astrid ANDERSEN Obituary
Astrid was born in rural Denmark in 1936. She was predeceased by her husband Roy (Rolf Olaf) in 1979.
Astrid and Roy both came to Canada in the 1950s, each for adventure and opportunity. After work stints in Sweden, Switzerland and in London, England where she learned English going to the cinema, Astrid emigrated to Canada in 1957. She arrived at Pier 21 in Halifax NS with a letter of employment from an Alberta family in need of a nanny, "preferably a Danish girl."
Astrid and Roy, who had met on the MS Bergensfjord Atlantic passenger liner, started a family in Hinton AB before moving to Squamish in 1961. The rebuilt Woodfibre pulp mill had a job for skilled tradesman Roy, and Squamish had a longer growing season for avid gardener Astrid.
They built their home on Hospital Hill, with Astrid in charge of what was to be judged Best Garden in Squamish by 1969. Over the next decades, in between tending family (as a single parent after her husband's passing) and garden, and later employment at the local hospital, community-minded Astrid wrote many letters to the editor and attended and spoke at many public meetings.
She actively supported each of her three free spirit sons in numerous, diverse projects.
Astrid loved picnics and camping and, in later years, independent backpack travel off the beaten path – in Latin America, Yukon, Quebec, Southern Europe, SE Asia and Australia. She (proudly) never learned to use a computer, clipped and saved many articles out of the newspapers, and read many books – mostly about the history of her adopted country.
Astrid always looked forward to weekly international folk dance nights, Tuesday hiking group excursions, helping out with Hospital Auxiliary friends, and volunteering for Community Christmas Care and at the annual Loggers Sports days.
Her always good mood, happy laughter and great hospitality will be missed.
She is survived by sons Eric, Glen (Marina) and Thor (Bec), her precious granddaughter Eve-Ruby, and a large extended family in Denmark and Norway.
Due to Covid-19 a celebration of Astrid Andersen's life will be postponed to a later date.
The family is sincerely thankful to caregivers at Lions Gate Hospital and North Shore Hospice for their kindness. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either Squamish General Hospital Auxiliary squamishgeneralhospitalauxiliary.com or the Heart & Stroke Foundation.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Astrid ANDERSEN
3 Entries
Bec Andersen
May 15, 2021
Astrid Andersen 1/9/36-17/2/21
The things I remember about Astrid :
The sound of her quick footsteps in the kitchen in the morning preparing for breakfast when we were visiting, The numerous notes on the kitchen counter of things to do.
Her picnics with boiled eggs potato salad, home-made Ryebread and raspberry cordial.
The way she would take a short breath midsentence or as a response to something you were saying.
Her delivery of home-made jams in Mason jars when we lived in Vancouver, dressed in her blue rain jacket and driving her Volvo.
The masking tape notes attached to said Mason jars.
Her red clogs and stockings
She told me once she painted her toenails in the summer to hide the dirt from the garden.
Her accent and sound of her voice especially when she was calling out to Eric during our day trip to Newcastle Island in 2014.
Her generosity
Her fairness to her sons and her ability to maintain the connection between them.
Her open-mindedness
Her prolific garden
Her strength of character right down to the very end. I’m proud to have been connected to her as a family member – I love the Danish heritage she has brought to my life and my child’s life. We have now to make new traditions to remember her by, today we boil red cabbage make rice pudding and attend a choral performance at Saint Stevens Cathedral, it is titled Requiem For The Living. It is a prayer or call for rest to all of mankind.
She loved also to sing.
My one and only Danish mother-in-law, a void we feel now , that until we visit Squamish BC again we will not truly have accepted. ASTRID GOODBYE. REST OUR VIKING WOMAN. YOUR LEGACY CONTINUES
scott mercs
March 7, 2021
Astrid was always a loving presence in my life, as I developed a friendship with her son Thor, and got to know Glen and Eric. She was friendly and funny, and always made everyone in her company feel comfortable. I will always remember her in my minds' eye with that big smile.
J. Singh Biln
February 26, 2021
Eric, Glen & Thor; Our sincerest condolences for the passing of your mother and for the loss of of a great human being. Mrs. Anderson a great neighbour, a giving citizen, an avid gardener and very active right up to her recent illness. She put us neighbours to shame with her constant pruning & raking, mowing the lawn, and shovelling her driveway. She felt strongly about her beliefs & values and never shied from giving her views to others and to community leaders. She will be missed by many. Rest In Peace, Mrs. Anderson.
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