May 6, 1931 - March 9, 2019
The family is sad to say goodbye to Serge Andreeff who made a classy exit from this world two months short of his 88th birthday, golfing in Hawaii the week before and with a smile and a joke accepting that it was his time and that he "had a good life".
Serge was born in Le Mans, France in 1931 to Nicolas and Anna (Barbot) Andreeff. After living though, the German occupation in France he came to Canada with his parents when he was 16 years old, and they settled at Sylvan Lake, Alberta. He fell in love with his new country with its forests, lakes, rivers, mountains, and new-found freedom. He married Shirley Parker (Rocky Mountain House) in 1953, and they enjoyed nearly 66 years together raising four children. Serge worked for the C.N.R. for 38 years and had a long, active retirement golfing, biking, walking, camping and travelling.
Serge played 132 rounds of golf two summers ago at the age of 86, getting his 5th lifetime hole-in-one and parring his favorite 9 hole course twice! He won a Putting Championship in Maui the week before his passing, and was awarded many individual and team golf championships over the years. Serge and Shirley traveled extensively, including 33 trips to Hawaii and several visits to his family in Europe. He zip-lined the forest canopy in Costa Rica at the age of 70, hiked the Great Wall of China at age 75, paraglided in Peru at the age of 76, and at the age of 87 enjoyed kayaking with his family at Sylvan Lake last summer.
Serge was predeceased by his mother and father and his brother Jean who died as a professional soldier in Vietnam during the French-Indochina War, and his nephew Nicolas in Klagenfurt, Austria. He is survived by his wife Shirley and their four children: Theresa, Nina Hay (Harley), Jim (Aida), and Karen Fitzgerald, ten grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and several relatives in France and Austria.
Our sincerest thanks to Drs. Tilley, Nogareda, and Murphy, and staff at Red Deer Regional Hospital Cardiology and Intensive Care Unit, and Dr. Champagne and staff at the Foothills Medical Centre Cardiac Intensive Care Unit for their incredible expertise and compassionate care given to Serge and the family.
At Serge's request there will be no service. Donations in his name to the Medicine River Wildlife Center or a charity of your choice would be welcomed. Those who knew and loved him are asked to raise a glass in a toast to Serge Andreeff and a life well-lived.
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