Andrew Douglas KOSTUIK

Andrew Douglas Kostuik
b.November 7/70 d.May 21/14
Suddenly in Kanab Utah the dearly beloved youngest child of John and Elizabeth Kostuik and cherished brother to Selby of Toronto and John and Patricia of Sutton, Quebec.
He was living a life he dreamed of in a place where he was loved by all who knew him: at Best Friends Animal Rescue Sanctuary, the largest such facility in North America. He worked with abused and abandoned and disabled dogs, and had a special love for the terribly maligned Pit Bulls; working to rehabilitate the unfortunate animals from dog fighting kennels (including those of Michael Vick - now renamed the 'Vick-tory Dogs') and had adopted a charming 'Pittie' - China Doll, a rescue pup from Hurricane Katrina. He said the dogs had done more for him than he could ever do for them, and he was on the cusp of a new life dedicated to caring for canines - training in animal behaviour and veterinary technology. As well, he volunteered at Healing Hearts, a sanctuary for disabled animals and was noted for his ability and willingness to cope with all their special problems. People felt he had a gift for working with the most damaged and abused of animals and could quickly gain their love and trust.
Comments have poured in from those who knew him from his childhood in Toronto, schools OLPH, Annex, and SOLA; fellow British Columbia mountain lovers from years of 'majoring' in skiing at Whistler; forestry work and conservation (arrived too late to be arrested with his fellow tree-huggers protesting clear cut logging - for which lapse his parents remain thankful), his buddies from Cumberland, Courtney and Comox on the Island, and latterly his two years in Utah echo the words: faithful friend, sweetest guy, kindest soul, helping hand, cherished, loving, loved, smiling face, gentle giant, softest heart, awesome spirit, literary mentor, mellow, empathetic... and his constant 'Right on, right on!' He and several friends on the Island formed a 'Food not Bombs' committee which sustained for years a weekly Sunday dinner for the needy in Courtney, British Columbia and were awarded a Comox Valley recognition for this effort of cooking and serving simple meals from donated and 'second-harvested' foodstuffs for an ever-increasing number of people.
His extended family include Aunt Donna, cousins Jennifer, Stephen and Paula Kostuik of Vancouver and Martin (Luba) Kostuik of Nashville Tennessee; Uncle David (Jessica) Kostuik of San Francisco, Aunt Jacquie and cousin David Wallace of Toronto; Aunt Marg (Bill) Makins of Clinton, cousins David Mitchell of Cambridge and Bruce Mitchell of Calgary, Scott (Lisa), Greg (Melanie) Mitchells all; Sandi Sherk (Jim Black) of Kitchener, Barbara Black, Janice (Jim) Jackson, cousins Donna (Lyle) Edgar, Uncle Jim (Gail) and cousins Ken (Dawn) Sherk, Aunt Phyllis and cousin Tom Sherk: all of Ayr; Laurel (Jeff) Bhagar, Toronto, Ellen (Terrie) Cameron of Mono and cousin Edith Brown, Waterloo and many next generations. Predeceased by his dear grandparents John and Anne Kostuik and Mel and Bessie Sherk, Uncles Douglas, Raymond and Bill Sherk of Ayr, Paul Kostuik of Vancouver British Columbia, and Lindsay (Sparky) Wallace of Toronto, Aunts Joan W Sherk, Joan S. Sherk and Esther Mitchell, cousins Tim Mitchell and Jane Vorstveld.
Andrew was a devoted Deadhead and we expect he'll now be strumming alongside Jerry on a cloud out there in the Beyond - 'The music never stopped...'
A loving child whose parting words to his parents always included 'Love You'. His body will go on in the form of transplanted corneas, organs and tissues.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to your local animal shelter, or to Best Friends and Healing Hearts Sanctuaries in Kanab Utah, or better still an adoption of a rescue dog or cat would be cherished by the family.
A memorial celebration of Andrew's life will be planned and announced presently. A grievous loss and mightily missed and mourned - our 'Ram Lamb' Andj.