Our very genuine Andy crossed over to the peaceful side on June 5, 2025.  He was born on July 19, 1984 in Cranbrook, BC.  He was 40 years old.

Andy was born with a hearing problem; something we weren’t aware of until the mandatory tests were done in kindergarten.  He learned on his own to navigate his days by paying close attention to his siblings.  When the call to dinner came, he learned to follow.  His resourcefulness was uncanny and an early sign of how extraordinary he was.  Eventually, this affliction was eradicated with ear tubes….twice, but he remained a soft spoken soul for life because of it.

School came very easy for Andy, so it wasn’t surprising that he could manage his classes and hold down his first job at Pizza Hut at age 14, where he worked throughout high school.  He was able to save enough money to buy himself that weird Russian Lada car that he loved….so uniquely Andy.

Andy had very strong math skills, so crushing the electrical program appeared effortless, earning him his red seal electrician certification.  He had a very strong work ethic, making him a valued employee during his time in Calgary, although he would tell you he was hired because of his size and could fit into the smaller spaces easier than the others.

Let’s be real:  Andy humbly excelled at absolutely everything he had an interest in and an opportunity to try….and they were many:  Music, art, hockey, snowboarding, golf, baseball, cooking and writing, to only name a few.  His ability to write hilarious essays or plays for he and “the boys” in school are cherished documents and memories for us.  This writing gift also led to the inception of his comic book “The Disgruntled Penguin”. My goodness his sense of humor was over the top. Sometimes his sports created some problems, including many concussions, stitches and broken bones because he was fearless. And in self proclaimed Crash Test Dummy style, Andy wanted to be the first to take that newly built road gap or ride his bike off the roof of the barn or the house.  Andy wasn’t a fickle sports fan….he stood by his Canucks and Blue Jays, no matter how their seasons went.  His downtime was spent on a Lego hobby that he loved and shared with his nieces and nephews.

Andy was a rare one:  he was very sensitive, genuine, intelligent, adventurous and fearless, incredibly witty, kind, proudly polite, loyal perhaps to a fault, and a lover of the outdoors and a beautiful scenery….all wrapped up in one of the most unique senses of humor anyone who had the privilege of knowing him could ever experience. He was just a gem of a human being.

Andy is survived by his Mother Diane De Buysscher, his Father Randy Dudka (Donna), his siblings Leah Zroback (Buck), Ben Dudka (Cara), and Holly Nault (Chris), as well as nieces and nephews Connor, Georgia, Paityn, Will, Charlotte, Josie and Louelle, who all adored their Uncle Andy very, very much, his Grandmother Patsy De Buysscher, and many aunts, uncles and cousins.  He is also survived by his neurotic, feisty cat Potato who will live the rest of her annoying days at Auntie Leah’s until they meet again.

Andy was predeceased by his Grandfather Don (Pops) De Buysscher and his Grandparents Stan and Norma Dudka.

A Celebration of Andy’s precious Life will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2025 at the Cranbrook Alliance Church at 1 pm, with a reception to follow.  The Service will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person, click the following link to view:

https://www.hdezwebcast.com/show/andy-dudka-celebration-of-life

mcphersonfh.com

Please bring your funny stories to share with us at the reception.  We know there are many and they will get us through. In lieu of flowers, a donation to the SPCA, JoeAnna’s House, or Angel Flight would be appreciated.  We all love you Andy.

Rest in peace.