ANDREW ARCHUK

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ANDREW ARCHUK It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of our son, brother and uncle at the age of 37. Andrew was born on October 10, 1979 in Thompson, MB and left us May 18, 2017 in his home, due to a brain aneurysm. He was the fourth of five children and the only boy. Diana was just relieved to have another healthy baby to add to their growing family, but it would be fair to say that Tom was overjoyed as he was getting used to (sick of) hearing the doctors say, "Congratulations it's a girl!" The thought of having a boy didn't even cross their minds as photographic evidence shows Andrew lived in pink onesies for the first few months of his life. When Andrew was two, the family relocated to Swan River. He grew up and went to school in Swan, but Minitonas became his permanent home. It proved to be an ideal location halfway between the two places he visited most, Wellman Lake and his parent's homes. During school, Andrew's first job was with Hall Maintenance. Once finished school he worked nearby for various logging contractors, until an opportunity came available to work on the service rigs for Badge Services in Estevan. He tried living away for a while but ultimately found that he missed the valley, so he came back and did not leave. He got his class 1 license and drove trucks for Gem Farms and later George Dufresne Logging. After that came stints with Precision Drilling, Brady Tire, and at the time of his death he was employed with Major Drilling. Andrew loved anything mechanical and working on vehicles was a favorite hobby. He had a handul of project cars that he dreamed of restoring one day. He was a man of exceptional talents and capabilities. If anything needed to be taken apart, put back together, cut down or built up, he was the person we would all call first, although when we called he may not have shown up for hours, days, or sometimes weeks. He wasn't to be rushed and while this was often frustrating for the rest of us, he would show up when ready and do a fantastic job! Once complete he would give a full report of everything he did and tips on what to do next time. Although we appreciated his feedback we didn't really listen because we thought he would always be a phone call away. Andrew was a perfectionist in every way. This became evident at an early age, five to be exact, when he was playing his very first T-ball game and got a hit to first base. Once there, he took one look at the dirty piece of carpet he was supposed to stand on, promptly picked it up and shook it until all the dust was out, and then neatly laid it back down. This "pickyness" as some would call it was evident in all he did. He kept his yard and garden in Minitonas pristine, and was very proud of it. His hard work and pride in workmanship is also very evident at the family cabin at Wellman Lake. For the past year Andrew had been doing extensive renovations all on his own and while it was a HUGE job, he surprised even seasoned cabin builders with his knowledge of what needed to be done, and how he was going to do it. He was not able to complete this project, but we will do our best to have it completed to his standards and ensure that his hard work, expertise, and devotion to making it perfect is honoured. Even though Andrew worked hard at the Lake, he also took time to enjoy the fun things that it had to offer. He loved waterskiing with his sisters (even if he didn't trust them driving the boat), fishing with his nephews, quadding, skidooing, and just hanging out and having drinks around the fire. He will be forever missed and lovingly remembered by his partner Christina Jacobson and their beloved dog Chopper; his parents, Tom Archuk, Diana and Stan Pacak; his sisters and their families, Heather (Chad) and nephews, Lucas and Colton; Stacey and nephews, Jordan and Tyson; Tara (Sheldon) and nephew Jaxon and niece Nyah; and Ashley (Brad) and nephews, Jacob and Grady. Andrew was predeceased by his grandparents and a maternal aunt. As per Andrew's wishes he was cremated and a private graveside service was held. Any memorial donations may be made in remembrance to Swan Valley Animal Protection League.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 27, 2017