November 26, 1947 - June 29, 2025
Andrew Scott was born in Swansea, Wales. He grew up in Kent and attended boarding school in Canterbury. Scott family members emigrated to Alberta in 1957. Calgary was such a shock to their systems that they soon moved again to BC. Andrew spent most of his life in the Greater Vancouver area, graduating from Burnaby Central High School in 1965. He graduated from UBC and later from the University of New Brunswick with an MA.
He and his wife Katherine came to the Sunshine Coast in 1997. They greatly enjoyed hiking, kayaking and travelling, and had many adventures, especially in Asia, Europe, Africa and British Columbia.
Andrew had a varied career as an author, journalist, editor and publisher (also as a Canada Post courier, cement crew worker and maraschino cherry vat-tender). A second edition of his book, The Promise of Paradise, on BC’s utopian communities, was published by Harbour in 2017. His Encyclopedia of Raincoast Place Names (Harbour, 2009) won The Roderick Haig-Brown BC Book Prize and Lieutenant’s Governor’s Medal for Historical Writing. Andrew wrote (or co-wrote) five other books, as well as almost 1,000 articles, receiving a National Magazine award and four Western Magazine awards along the way. He was a former long-time editor-in-chief of Western Living magazine, a senior editor of Globe and Mail’s city magazine, and publisher of Alaska Airlines Magazine.
Andrew would like to express his appreciation for the beautiful Sunshine Coast, and for the network of friends he made here. He is grateful beyond words to have been able to spend the last decades of his life as part of this smart, friendly, cultured community. Special thanks to CHAPS and 21 Club members (you know who you are) and to the lively pickleball crowd.
Survived by his much-loved wife Katherine and dear family members: brother David and sister-in-law Kerry McNamara; nephews and niece Caleb, Lewis, Michael and Karli; and niece Claire Laing. Predeceased by his equally dear father Jack, mother Pamela; first wife Shiane; and sister Sarah.
Contributions to the Parkinson Society of BC would be welcomed.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
