Andy was born to Hungarian immigrant parents Steve and Julia Szigli on August 3, 1939, in Lestock, Saskatchewan. He was the youngest of 12 and always joked with his eldest brother Steve that Steve was the engine and Andy was the caboose. With Andy’s passing, the train has now fully left the station.

Andy spent his childhood in Lestock, but when he got older, he went to live and help his brothers Joe and John on their family farm just outside of town. When he was 18, he then moved into Regina, where he lived with his sister Emma and her family. This is where Andy started his trucking career driving a dump truck for his brother-in-law Norman.

One of his many favourite past times during the early 60’s was when Andy and his good buddy Billy would play in a band at dances in the small surrounding country towns. During one of his many gigs, Andy met his first love Josie Vogt in December of 1961. On Jan 26th, 1962 (exactly 2 yrs before their daughter was born) he proposed to Josie, and they were married that same year on June 23, 1962.

On January 26th, 1964, Andy and Josie’s only child Leahann was born in Regina. The three lived in Saskatchewan for most of Leahann’s childhood before packing up and finding home in Cranbrook, BC in 1980. Here, they met many longtime friends who became family.

In 1993, Andy purchased his first personal long-haul truck and opened his trucking business, Szigli Transport Ltd. He operated until 2003, where he hung up the keys and entered retirement. However, he couldn’t stay away long and began driving again a few years later until he was 80. The road was always in his blood, and it was his longtime passion to see various parts of North America.

Amidst his busy trucking career, his daughter Leahann and her husband Cam welcomed their daughter Mariah in March of 1999. Mariah was the light in Andy’s life. He cherished his time watching Mariah in her dance recitals and volleyball tournaments. During the summers, he loved having Leahann, Cam, and Mariah stay out at Eagles Nest in Moyie, where they all spent weekends camping together and playing music around the campfire. Eagles Nest was a very special place where he watched Mariah take her first steps on Andy and Josie’s deck, and they made many other memories throughout the years.

In November 2003, Josie passed. It was a difficult heartbreak for Andy losing his first love. However, he always said that having one love in your lifetime is amazing, but to find a second is a blessing. In 2010, Andy met his second love Fydelia Braun. They married in September 2015, and enjoyed 15 years of happiness at the lake together, traveling up north to the Yukon, as well as to Saskatchewan, all to visit their beloved family and friends. Throughout their relationship, they also had some very special sidekicks alongside them – Buffy the cat, and three dogs Rosie, Lady, and most recently Lewis.

Throughout his lifetime, Andy was well known for his work in the kitchen and out in the garden. His “grow op” sprouted some of the best tomatoes around, which he then turned into the best canned tomatoes and Hungarian cabbage rolls anyone ever had. Every holiday had to include a large pot of cabbage rolls for his family to feast on.

Andy was very thankful for all of the calls and messages prior to his passing. He was so glad to hear from the ones he loved and cared for most.

His final greatest joy was being able to meet his first great-grandchild, Scottie, in his last weeks. The smile on his face as he held her for the first time was one that will always be remembered, because he was so incredibly happy that he got to meet her.

Andy is survived by his wife Fydelia, daughter Leahann (Cam) Prust, Granddaughter Mariah (James) Stechly, Great-Granddaughter Scottie Stechly, Step-Sons Miles (Michella) Braun, Trevor (Jane) Braun, Step-Grandchildren Brandon, Jaedon, Nathan, Pelly, and Nora, and many brothers and sisters in laws, nieces and nephews.

Andy is predeceased by his first wife Josie Szigli, parents Steve and Julia Szigli, and 11 siblings Steve, Julia, Margaret, Mary, Joe, Helen, Mike, Frank, Paul, John, and Emma.

Andy’s family would like to thank Dr. Yue and all of the staff at the F.W. Green Clinic, the doctors and nurses on the second and third floor at EKRH, and many paramedics in his final years who took such special care of him.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the BC Lung Foundation https://bclung.ca/.

At Andy’s request, a celebration of life will be held in the early summer so his closest family and friends can gather on a warm, sunny day – just what he always loved.

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