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Andrew BIRRELL Obituary

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Andrew BIRRELL

Peterborough, ON

December 18, 1914 - April 24, 2007

Andrew BIRRELL Obituary

Obituary of Andrew BIRRELL BIRRELL, Andrew Bruce Horsfall. Of natural causes on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 in his ninety-third year, at Extendicare in Peterborough, Ontario. Dear husband of Primrose Bigsby, father of Rodney (Veronica), Tony, Sydney (Pamela) and Diana; brother to Dr. Heather (Knight); and grandfather to Rebecca, James (deceased) and Benjamin. Bruce Birrell was born in Reading, England to John Horsfall Birrell and Ada Bell, on December 18, 1914. He graduated in engineering from Durham University and was an oarsman on its championship rowing team. As a young man, Bruce joined the British Indian Army and served as a mechanical-electrical engineer during WW II, rising to the rank of major. In civilian life he worked in England, Singapore, Bangladesh, Sarnia, Montreal, and several other Canadian cities, before retiring to Soyers Lake, Haliburton. Bruce was an enthusiastic amateur church musician, and was generally to be found on Sunday mornings seated at the organ bench of the local church. He and Primrose had broad interests and a wide circle of friends. Advancing age and Alzheimer?s forced them to give up their life at the lake and move to Peterborough. Primrose joined Bruce at Extendicare in 2005. A memorial service will be held at MURRAY STREET BAPTIST CHURCH, 175 Murray Street, Peterborough, on Saturday, May 12 at 2:30 p.m. Condolences to the family and directions to the church may be found at www.CommunityAlternative.ca or by calling 705-742-1875. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to The James Fund for Neuroblastoma Research at SickKids, a fund in honour of Bruce?s grandson. Donations can be made on-line through www.JamesFund.ca, or mailed to The James Fund, #4-625 Whitaker Street, Peterborough, On, Canada K9H 7L5. The Birrell family offers their sincere thanks to the staff at Extendicare for their kindness to both Primrose and Bruce. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Andrew BIRRELL, please visit Tribute Store

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