Condolences
I was very saddened to hear that Andrew had passed away. He was one of those forces of nature that you believe will go on forever. I have very fond memories of working with Andrew at Trimac. He was a strong leader and great mentor. So many social memories as well. He was always great fun at a social event. I will never forget his laugh. Another memory was that his writing was so small we would enlarge it on the photocopier so we could read it. Sincere condolences to Ursula, his family, and friends. Rest in Peace, Andrew.
Like Trevor Jones, I well remember Andy as a teammate with the Irish Rugby Club in Toronto. Always available to play wherever and whenever, Andy contributed whole -heartedly on the field and off the field during some of the club's most successful years. He was respectful of opponents and supportive of his teammates, always popular at post-match festivities where his infectious sense of humour brightened the environment .
My condolences to the family. In true rugby tradition...."Three cheers for Andy!"
Ken Smith
Dear Ula and family.
Please accept our sincere condolences. You and Andrzej were our best friends when we lived in Calgary and we shared many Christmases and Easters together, along with more simple times, walking our dogs along the river and just enjoying a glass of wine. You were our daughter Danusia’s first baby sitters, although he wasn’t as adept with babies as you. Helena’s tribute to Andrzej is beautifully composed and captures Andrzej very well. A dynamic, forceful individual with great determination who also was charming, interesting and a good friend. He accomplished a great deal in his life after such a difficult beginning, being only 9 months old when World War II began, living through it in Warsaw until he was almost 8, a childhood that we can only imagine. His life here with you and his family was that much more precious because of it.
Along with my daughters, we send our condolences to you and family. We shall miss Andrzej and hope that he is at peace now.
Elzbieta,, Danusia and Natalia Rogacki
A Reflection
On Friday April 1, 2022, the Zaleski family lost their dynamo – an accomplished man, a complicated man, a warrior and a Polish patriot. Andrew B. Zaleski died quickly and quietly in his own home and on his own terms without prolonged goodbyes nor hullabaloo. From the halls of corporate North America to the boreal forests of Ontario my brother-in-law lived a zealous and gargantuan life. Work hard, play hard and love hard was his mantra.
As commander-in-chief he steered the helm of a multi-million dollar corporation. Andrew’s skillful leadership, unbridled determination and global foresight propelled the development of his company from the ground floor to international heights. His intelligence, stamina and business acumen were respected throughout the industry resulting in many invitations to sit on numerous corporate boards.
Tennis, rugby, skeet shooting, and poker were his pastime activities of choice. When he played, he played hard, often the winner in all four categories. Reading and historical war movies were also sources of considerable pleasure. Andrew’s laughs roared like thunder, he sang like a braying donkey and orated with great elegance. He debated politics analytically, was well informed and discussed with ardour. Personally, I will miss his passion the most, for I thoroughly enjoyed our ideological exchanges.
As forever more, time passes and life is reshaped. Retirement was Andrew’s Achilles heel – a difficult change but not insurmountable. He built a country home on the shores of Lake Kaminiskeg and began a new era in a new world. Religiously, everyday at 4:00 pm, Andrew would holler from the beach, “HELEEENNNNAA, Helennnna, time for SWIMMING”, and I dutifully but grudgingly would comply – most of the time. I will sorely miss his echoing summons to the water!
Andrew and wife Ula raised a beautiful family and travelled the globe far and wide, but the cottage was ‘home’. They both loved to entertain and hosted fabulous soirees for friends and kin. An invite to dinner was a coveted pleasure where the food was of gourmet quality, the wine flowed freely, and the atmosphere was filled with merriment and camaraderie.
Andrew loved us all in his special way, as we loved him. And so, my dear brother-in-law, wherever you are, I bid you adieu and hope that you’ll forever dance among the stars, drink the best aged scotch you so enjoyed and send the Zaleskis positive vibes now and again. Until such a time as our fates entwine, we’ll always remain your ‘spirited clan’.
Love, Helena
We were so sorry to hear if Andrew’s passing. I had the pleasure of working with Andrew at Trimac and enjoyed getting to know his family. Though over the years we lost touch he will always be a memorable part of my career. We send our deepest condolences to Ursula and the family in their loss.
Linda Middlemiss
So sorry to hear of Andy's passing. I had the privilege of meeting Andy when he was a member of the Irish Canadian Rugby Club in the sixties.. Andy was highly regarded as a team player both on and off the field .A real gentleman who made many friends through his strong social skills. I'm sure he will be sorely missed not only by his family but by all he came into contact with, both in sport and in business. Goodbye old friend!
Trevor Jones .Toronto
I was so sorry to hear of Andrews passing. He was one of the good ones and a true leader in all respects.
I had the pleasure of meeting with him early on in my career at Trimac and he was a big influence.
My deepest condolences to his entire family.
David Paul
I never got to meet him but I did have the pleasure of meeting his daughter Tamara . If he was anything like his daughter, he was a remarkable man. I hope the family will cherish the time they spent together. Time does heal one's passing but it does take time. Sheila DeAngelis-Angus
Our sincere condolences to Ursula and the entire family. II will always cherish the many great memories of visits in Calgary and Barry’s bay.
Thoughts and prayers.
Michael Tarnowski and family
There are very few really special people we are blessed to meet in a lifetime. Andrew was truly one of those special people and we feel blessed that we shared his friendship and laughter. We will miss him deeply.
We remember fondly the many wonderful gatherings Ula and Andrew had at their summer home. Andrew was a BBQ master and the more people he could treat to his skills the happier he was. Yes, he would say, let's cook a whole lamb over a wood fire all afternoon for the evening guests! It was always so much fun to be there and help and warm in the glow of his hospitality, the laughter never stopped.
His laughter- we agree with everyone who commented how his laughter was so warm, giving and not only filled the room- it filled your heart with joy.
We cherished having Andrew and Ula as guests , hearing all the stories of an inspirational life with much laughter and good wine.
In the summer, our weekly target shooting, knocking down sheet clays followed by lunch and merry conversation will always be a fond memory. Often, family and friends joined us which was wonderful and memorable as well.
Farewell dear friend, the world has lost a wonderful soul. Although our hearts are aching, they are filled with such wonderful memories of a life well lived.
Our love and deepest sympathy to Ula and family.
Jasna & Andy
I was very sad to hear the news of Andrew’s passing. My mind has been flooded with memories the last few days. The joy this man could bring to a room was astounding. My favourite part of Andres personality was his laugh. It was a loud and resounding boom that would turn heads and make people want to join the party. HA. HA. HA. I will forever hold that laugh dear. If I happened to make him laugh, he would say, Bonnie, you are a sheeky (cheeky) woman. Andrew had a delightful way of expressing himself in English. He could be heard saying at a football game; “I’m so excited I have chicken skin.” Adorable!
Andrew loved his cars! The kind with endless reserves of power that announce their presence audibly and can jump from 0 to 60 in 2seconds. He exclaimed once while blasting down Macleod Trail “I feel like a teenager!”
A tennis game with Andrew could quite possibly end with the opponent diving after a well placed smash because the previous 10 shots were high lobes landing in the exact same place each time. The said opponent would quite possibly be bruised and bloody. And , again… the laugh! Andrew was a keen and clever player.
Keith described Andrew as a prince of a man, and nothing proves that more than his and Ula’s offer to have us stay with them when Keith got sick. We had sold our house and stayed 3 months. We were made very comfortable and were spoiled rotten.
My deepest condolences to Ursula and her family. Thank you for sharing this wonderful man with us. He will be missed.
Bonnie
Ahh I was so sad to hear this news. Andrew was a true legend who I had the pleasure of working for as his E.A. at Trimac for a number of years and continued to always keep In touch with Andrew and Ursula. I had a great chat with him and Ursula’s as well just about 6 months ago. Lots of stories… lots of laughs as always. I loved working with Andrew and had so much respect for him as he did for me. We just worked well together. We didn’t always agree on everything but in the end whether I agreed with him or NOT, I’d just let on as if he was ABSOLUTELY correct …….even though he was not! Lol. One time I had came back to work for him temporarily and someone said to us in the coffee room that morning “Andrew you must be happy to have Shelly back working for you?” Andrew’s reply was “Shelly working for me… oh no I work for Shelly”. Lol. This was right after he was frustrated about everyone using their fancy Blueberries (not Blackberry) to schedule a meeting vs picking up the phone. These are the little things that made Andrew special. He just was who he was …. So many memories so many great stories. We worked very hard but made work fun. You will be truly missed Andrew by many. My heart goes out to Ursula and family. Thinking of you all during such a difficult time. Rest easy Andrew. You’ve earned a very special place in heaven.
Our condolences are extended to Ursula and the entire Zaleski family. We were saddened to hear that Andrew had passed away. This brought back good memories of our parents, Ted & Lottie Gorski, sharing time and experiences with Andrew and Ursula over the years in the transportation industry. We will always remember Andrew the businessman, the family man and his journey.
Rest in peace, eternal memories.
Ted & Cathy Gorski, Harrow, ON
Sincere condolences to family members and friends. I am very grateful for having worked and learned from Andrew’s fearless and visionary leadership. He took the time from his demanding schedule to interview and hire me (MBAs grads were a novelty at that time) which led to a great career. I have fond, vivid and endless memories and anecdotes of Andrew from numerous meetings, road trips and social events. Undoubtedly, his exceptional stamina and colorful personality will be remembered and missed. Sincerely. Marcel, Francine and Alexandre.
Where do you start to honour the life and legacy of Andrew. Simply put…. “Larger than life”. We had the privilege of sharing summers with Andrew and Ursula at their beloved cottage. Fine wines and dining were definitely in abundance and yes his barbecued steak was masterful! What I remember most though is the laughing. When we got together with Andrew and his family and friends, there was such fun. For many years we hosted a themed party at our cottage, costumes and all. Andrew would perhaps start the evening reluctantly in his party attire but before you knew it he was singing, dancing and we could hear him laughing all the way home on their boat. He loved life.
This summer will be so very different without his presence on the lake. For our cottage community, celebrating his life will be our honour.
Ursula and family, Thankyou for sharing him with us.
Konrad and Helena, Thankyou for including us in your extended family and creating too many memories to count.
And finally to Andrew, Thankyou for living life on your terms. Unapologetic, confident and so appreciative of the life you created in Canada. You will be missed.
Love Chester and Sylvia
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