In Memoriam

A. Andrzej (Andrew) Endelman (Professor Emeritus)

Andrzej, who was born in Warsaw, Poland, on June 6, 1928, passed away on April 27, 2011. After a happy early childhood came World War II and the hell of Nazi occupation. Somehow, though, Andrzej and his parents managed to survive it. In 1946, he left Poland to join his family in London, England. There he learned English and passed his matriculation exams. He was then accepted to the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, where he finished his medical studies. In 1950, he married Krystyna Górska, his lifelong love and companion.

On graduation from medical school, he began his internship in Dublin before coming to Vancouver to continue his training. Once he finished the internship, he and Krystyna joined his parents in Sydney, Australia. There, Andrzej established a very successful general practice. Seven years later, the couple and their new baby returned to Vancouver. By that time Andrzej decided to specialize in internal medicine, and eventually became a gastroenterologist.

He spent a year of his specialization training at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit. After their stay in Detroit, Andrzej and his family returned permanently to Vancouver where he opened his practice. He was appointed by the UBC faculty of medicine as clinical instructor, later on as assistant clinical professor and still later as associate clinical professor. In 1986, due to his ill health, he was forced to retire from both the practice and the teaching.

Andrzej leaves behind his wife, Krystyna, and loving daughter, Kathy, as well an extended group of close and devoted friends and honorary family members. By his request there was no service or memorial. Should anyone wish to celebrate his memory and life, gifts sent to Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) would be gratefully appreciated.