Andrew Frame

1927 - 2021

Andy Frame passed away on Friday June 25th at Joseph Brant Hospital, at the great age of 94.
Andy and his brother Jim grew up at 78 Frizzell Avenue in Toronto, attending Earl Grey School and then Danforth Tech where he excelled at all sports including football. The bad knees that plagued him for years were a reminder that he lived with from those days.
In 1943, while in high school, he met Joan Cairns while working on Saturdays in the children's shoe department at the downtown Eaton store in Toronto. Joan was working in the women's shoe department, and he asked her out on their break for a chocolate sundae. Joan loved chocolate and was hooked.
Andy's mother passed away when he was 17, and Joan's parents embraced Andy and his brother Jim and their father Alexander, including them in family dinners and celebrations from soon after they began dating. Andy went on to the University of Toronto Engineering school, graduating in 1951. Joan and Andy were married on June 30th, 1951 and moved to Hamilton where he started his first job at Westinghouse. A number of his classmates from his graduating class and their girlfriends, who went on to become their wives became lifelong friends, also taking jobs at Westinghouse. They all lived in the same apartment building in Hamilton and when Andy and Joan bought their first house in Burlington on Courtland Drive, they were joined by a couple of their friends who bought newly constructed homes on the same block. When David, Deb and Rick were born, the open doors on that block and the close friendships that had been established years earlier made for the most idyllic life on that street. While Joan and Andy raised a young family in Burlington, Andy took on doing an MBA at University of Toronto in the evenings, graduating in 1957.
Andy became involved in the Burlington Jaycees, and with the local Provincial and Federal Conservative Party organizations and established lifelong friendships through both of these activities. He was very proud of his lobbying that led to the Burlington Skyway Bridge having "Burlington" rather than "Hamilton" in its name. He was elected to the Burlington Public Utilities Board and held this role through most of the 1960s and 70s. The second part of his career was as a Senior Advisor, Electrical Power at the then newly created Ministry of Energy at Queens Park. When the family moved to Rosslyn Drive in Burlington in 1966, Andy and Joan hosted many events and fundraisers that saw many notable federal and provincial politicians and other community leaders in attendance. He was very proud and involved in his son, Rick's swimming career and followed Rick to many swim meets across Canada. Andy and Joan also enjoyed their friends made through the Roseland Club and Andy's involvement with the "Rogues.". Andy was very active in his retirement well into his 80s in musical theater. In 2015 he played the role of the old peasant man in the Drury Lane Theater's Fiddler on the Roof production.
In addition to his passion for Burlington, he was hugely passionate about Rosseau, Muskoka. In 1962, Andy and Joan bought a cottage at the north end of Lake Rosseau where Joan's family had been vacationing at Rossmoyne Inn for years. He organized the first Rosseau Regatta in 1967 and stayed involved on the organizing committee for over 50 years. Andy competed in the Long-Distance Swim event at the regatta every single year well into his 80s. He was founding president of the Rosseau North Association and helped establish the Rosseau Land Trust.
Among many honors that he enjoyed, Andy was a Governor of Ryerson University and a Board Member of Ontario Hydro, retiring from that position in 1975. He had a continuing unique love of everything "Hydro" and was proud to educate his family about the topic in addition to writing op eds for various newspapers over the years until very recently, expressing his take on the latest developments regarding provincial hydro. In 2012 he was recognized for his dedication to public service when he was presented with the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal. It was a highly appreciated acknowledgement of his service and dedication to his beloved community and Ontario.
In 2016 he moved into Pearl and Pine Retirement Residence in Burlington and enjoyed the fact that so many of his longtime friends were there as well.


Andy was preceded in death by Joan who passed away in June 2010 and by his brother James Frame (Ruth) in November, 2019. He is survived by his son David (Karima) of Toronto, daughter Deborah (Scott Millard) of Oakville and son Rick (Sheila)of Naples, Florida, his grandchildren Kristen Russel (Mackenzie) and Marc Frame, Drew, Hayley and Reid Millard and Greg and Justine Frame. Great grandchildren are Lucus and Vincent Russel.
He was strong and proud. A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date.