Christine Andrews-Lunau

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Christine Andrews-Lunau, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.

      Christine was born on September 26, 1966 at Belleville Hospital in Belleville, Ontario. She was the daughter of Carol Andrews (Bill McIntosh) and father Don Andrews. Raised in Marmora and Oshawa, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.

      As a young girl, Christine was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Christine was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Christine was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Christine also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Christine was raised with one brother, Brad Andrews. Christine and her brother had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.

      Growing up, Christine was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Christine was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Christine was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Christine took part in a number of activities as a child. She took part in volleyball, figure skating and baseball. She was in Brownies and Figure Skating Club. In her spare time she liked music and her memorable achievements included 1st place at the Spelling Bee and Show Queen at High School.

      Christine enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Christine was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Christine was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from O'Neill Collegiate in 1985 and enjoyed some courses more than others, having favourite subjects and teachers. Her favourite class in high school was Gym - Volley Ball especially and Shop Class.

      Most folks would say that Christine was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Christine was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Christine best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Christine kept. While growing up, some of her best friends were Kim Kelly, Nancy McGregor, Tina Jorgenson, Ellen Cooper and Carolyn. Later in life, she became friends with Mike and Kim Francis.

      Christine was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Christine was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Christine was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Christine was blessed with two living children, Ashley and Erin (her first born child Amanda, died at birth). She was also blessed with two grandchildren, Brooklyn and Kaydence.

      If you gave Christine a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Christine was always on task. Without hesitation, Christine could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was working in a pharmacy and at the hospital. She was employed for many years. During that time, Christine excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Christine was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Christine had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

      Christine liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Christine's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Christine preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favourite pursuit was gardening. Christine was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favourite pastimes.

      While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Christine often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. In high school, Christine played volleyball. Recreational sports included bowling, skating, walking and she loved picnics. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favourite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list was hockey.

      Anyone who travelled or went on vacation with Christine had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favourite vacations included Niagra Falls, Ontario and Atlantic City, New Jersey.

      Christine passed away from cancer on November 15, 2019 at Lakeridge Health in Oshawa, Ontario. She is survived by her children Ashley and Erin, grandchildren Brooklyn and Kaydence, her mother Carol, stepfather Bill and her father Don. Services were held at the Oshawa Funeral Home. Christine was laid to rest in Marmora Cemetery.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Christine was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Christine was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Christine Andrews-Lunau was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Christine. She will be missed.

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ANDREWS – LUNAU, Christine Debbra

It is with sadness and heavy hearts that we announce Christine’s passing on Friday, November 15th, 2019 at Lakeridge Health Oshawa, with her family by her side, at 53 years of age. Beloved daughter of Carol Andrews (Bill McIntosh) and Don Andrews. Loving mother of Ashley and Erin. Predeceased by her brother Bradley. Devoted and cherished grandmother to Brooklyn and Kaydence. Loved and sadly missed by Duane. She will be sadly missed by her niece Victoria (Masih), her nephew Brett (Amy), great nieces and nephews Noah, Isaac, Zarianna and Theo, her extended family and many friends. Predeceased by her grandparents Boyd and Margaret Warren and Hubert and Carlyn Andrews. Christine was born in Belleville and attended Marmora Public School and O’Neill Collegiate in Oshawa. She lived in Markham and worked as an assistant manager at Zipps Drug Store. She married and moved to Pefferlaw where she worked at Jackson’s Point Pharmacy. She then moved to Bowmanville and worked at Lakeridge Health Bowmanville and Lakeridge Health Oshawa. Christine was an avid gardener; she enjoyed the outdoors and her vacations and doted on her granddaughters. Thank you to Doctor Chang, Doctor Iqbal, Doctor Azi, nurses Lisa and Sharon,Tammy and all the staff for Christine’s wonderful care at the hospital. A Celebration of Life will be held at the OSHAWA FUNERAL HOME, 847 King Street West (905-721-1234) on Saturday, November 30th from 2 – 4 and 6 – 8 p.m. Private family graveside service will take place in the spring. Memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.