Andrew "Andy" MacKinlay

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Andrew (Andy) MacKinlay on February 12, 2026. Andy was born in Prince George on June 24, 1976. He spent his early childhood in Vanderhoof, BC, and at the age of 11 moved to Creston, BC. After high school graduation, he attended post-secondary institutions in Alberta and British Columbia. Andy worked part-time at Costco, developed a lifelong appreciation for the company, and decided to pursue a career in human resources. This path eventually took him to Ottawa in 2001. There, he built a close-knit circle of friends, sharing many adventures and creating lasting memories together.

Andy married Cheri-Ann in 2010. A year later, they welcomed their daughter, Sienna, and eighteen months after that, their son, Cooper (CT). Fatherhood became one of Andy’s greatest joys, and he embraced it wholeheartedly. After fourteen years in Ottawa, he was transferred back to the Costco office in Burnaby, prompting the family’s move to Silver Valley in Maple Ridge. There, he loved captaining a pontoon boat and exploring local lakes with friends and family. In 2021, Andy returned to the Creston Valley to experience farm life.

Andy had a gift for building and sustaining friendships—you could call him after ten years, and it would feel as though no time had passed. He loved bringing people together, hosting dinners around his smoker or Blackstone, filling the room with laughter and making sure every glass stayed full. With boundless energy and a mischievous sense of adventure, he was always up for anything: camping, volleyball, golf, or a spin in his electric green Mustang. Andy will be remembered for his generosity, warmth, empathy, and the unwavering support he offered to everyone he loved.

Andy will be fondly remembered by his parents, Dave and Dorothy MacKinlay, wife Cheri-Ann MacKinlay and his children Sienna and CT, his siblings James (Charlotte) MacKinlay, Tom (Alice) MacKinlay, and Samantha (Troy) MacKinlay, his in-laws Mavis and Wally Olsen and brother-in-law Wade Olsen as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Brass Fish Tavern, 385 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, at noon Pacific Time. All are welcome to come and share stories with his family and friends. If unable to attend in person, the event will be live-streamed, starting at 12:30 here: https://youtube.com/live/b61cqbELpMI?feature=share.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to a charity of your choice.