Deryk Anderson

It is with great sadness we announce the loss of our husband, father, brother and friend Deryk who passed away on Boxing Day at the age of 79.

Deryk was first encountered by his brother and 2 sisters, who were there when he was born at home in Montreal.

He spent most of his life with his family, living and working in Calgary in logistics and transportation. Deryk and his wife Lea retired to Alexandria Ontario, where he enjoyed being nearer to his brother Roger, walking their dog McDuff around town and spending time with life-long friends and many new ones, golfing and curling.

For all those that shared life, laughter and the occasional tiramisu with him he was Uncle Buck living in his own Weird World.  He was a mover, and he imbued his enthusiasm and passion to his family and friends.   Deryk spent a lifetime walking, hiking, biking, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, swimming, and snorkelling.  Deryk was a music lover who liked to blog, putter around the garden and was also known to put together the occasional sports pick with his buddy, Ted.

Deryk was a skilled traffic manager.  Deryk served as President of the Calgary Transportation Club.  In his early years, he worked for Dominion Bridge in Montreal where he arranged the first barging of the calandria, the massive shell of the CANDU reactors from Montreal to the power plant at Pickering via the St. Lawrence Seaway.  He would often talk about his experiences moving large sections of oil industry infrastructure from places like Korea to Edmonton and Fort McMurray working for SNC, Totran, Tri-Line, AMEC, Colt and WorleyParsons.  He had to arrange boats, barges, and have roads closed to accomplish this.  This was an interesting job that he excelled at.

Deryk would stay up late to listen to Alberta's CKUA radio. He enjoyed going to see Ian Tyson play at the Longview Community Centre, Ron Hynes and Tom Russell play the Ironwood in Calgary, and going to Folk Festivals.

Deryk was a good athlete when he was young.  He was on a competitive swim team and played hockey.

Deryk always had lots of friends.  When his mother wanted to severely punish him for something he had done, he was kept in the house and not allowed out with his friends.  This was real punishment for him.

When he was eleven years old, he walked 2km to a local golf club and carried a golf bag for $1.25 for eighteen holes.   On the first day he caddied, a player asked him to get some tees.  Deryk went to the club house and brought him a cup of tea.  That didn't impress him on Deryk's golf knowledge. Deryk learned the game and went on to enjoy it and play it as often as he could.

Deryk will be missed by his loving wife Lea and his daughters Christina and Jo-Ann, brother Roger of Coburg, Ontario, with whom he shared the same quirky sense of humour and love of life, sister Jean of Gatineau, Quebec, cousin Jane and the Anderson Clan over in Scotland along with numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends.  Deryk is predeceased by his sister, Georgia of Nanton, Alberta.

The family would like to thank the health care professionals at the Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria and University of Ottawa Heart Institute for their compassion and care in his last days.

Deryk had requested his remains be donated to advance medical science and education in the hopes of helping others.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer donations be made to University of Ottawa Heart Institute Foundation (https://foundation.ottawaheart.ca/).

A celebration of Deryk’s life will follow later this spring when family and friends can come together safely.