Andy Zee: Tribute Thread

[skiNEwhere]

RIP Andy, I've only been to one AZ outing (hunter in 2009 I think), wish I could have met you, you sounded like you were a really fun person to be around

 

[thetrailboss]

The obit:

http://www.shookfh.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1123442

[h=1]Life Legacy[/h]
Andrew Zielinski, 56, of Clifton passed away on October 6, 2013. Born in Gostynin, Poland, Andrew came to the US in 1961 and lived in Newark, Kearney and Brooklyn before moving to Clifton 5 years ago.

A vice president of IT Securiti for Citigroup in Warren, Andrew was an avid skier, cyclist and hiker who loved spending time with family and friends.

Beloved husband of 15 years of Violetta (Buraczmska). Cherished brother of Jadwiga Siedlecki and her husband Stanislaw of Manville and the late Miroslaw Zielinski who passed away in 2007. Dear brother-in-law of Elzbieta Zielinski of Clifton. Adored uncle of Chris Siedlecki and his wife Jody, Jack Siedlecki and his wife Ruth and Maria Hughes and her husband Rusty.

Visiting Wednesday 6-9 PM at the Shook Funeral Home, 639 Van Houten Avenue, Clifton. Cremation Private.

 

[thetrailboss]

Visitation schedule:

[h=3]Visitation[/h]6:00 - 9:00 PM, Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Shook Funeral Home
639 Van Houten Ave. Clifton, NJ 07013

For folks who want to sign the guest book: http://www.shookfh.com/memsol.cgi?p...42&MAIN_EVENT=MEMSOL&SUB_EVENT=SIGN_GUESTBOOK

 

[Madroch]

Never met him but read enough posts on kzone and here to know that for all his love of a good flame war, he obviously loved skiing more. RIP.

 

[steamboat1]

Andrew Zielinski, 56

Way to young.

Don't know if I met him but I might have. One day the Bay 1 tailgate party gave the Bay 3 tailgate party a jump after our car battery went dead from blasting music all afternoon. Wouldn't doubt he was the one who helped.

In any event he sounded like a good person to hang with.

God rest his soul.

 

[bvibert]

Rest in peace, you big pain in the ass.

 

[SkiDork]

Whenever I heard his last name I thought of this guy:

 

[Nick]

Saw this on Kzone as well

 

[Boston Bulldog]

A terrible tragedy

I never met Andy but his passion for skiing and this board will be sorely missed

 

[jaywbigred]

Makes me very sad. Turns in heaven.

 

[Tyrolean_skier]

Attended the viewing tonight. Nice turnout of family and friends. Kzone was represented by Dork, myself, G-smashed and D, Junior and J, SheCanSki and FirstScrape. Saw their friend Milagros there too. I made a book made up of a printout of the RIP AndyZee thread on KillingtonZone and the tribute thread on here and gave it to Violetta. AlpineZone sent a nice flower arrangement.
Violetta told us that he started feeling sick 2 months ago but it was not until 3 weeks ago that they found out that it was cancer of the pancreas and that it was stage 4. That's how quickly this happened. Take care everyone and try to enjoy each day as you never know what will happen in the future.

 

[RustyK]

Whenever I heard his last name I thought of this guy:

Funny..me too.

Have known Andy via the Kzone since 2006..good guy. Had many great BBQ's and loved dragging him through the trees until his legs were gone. He will be missed.

 

[Warp Daddy]

Attended the viewing tonight. Nice turnout of family and friends. Kzone was represented by Dork, myself, G-smashed and D, Junior and J, SheCanSki and FirstScrape. Saw their friend Milagros there ear too. I made a book made up of a printout of the RIP AndyZee thread on KillingtonZone and the tribute thread on here and gave it to Violetta. AlpineZone sent a nice flower arrangement.
Violetta told us that he started feeling sick 2 months ago but it was not until 3 weeks ago that they found out that it was cancer of the pancreas and that it was stage 4. That's how quickly this happened. Take care everyone and try to enjoy each day as you never know what will happen in the future.

Just so incredibly sad , Andy seemed so full of life and had a zest about damn near everything !

TS your advice IS the take away here . Make SURE that EVERY day is a banquet, take care of each other, celebrate small victories , love , laugh and above all do not focus on the negative . Our time here is precious and we need to fill it with the RIGHT thoughts , actions, behaviors and attitudes . Andy you made us laugh , you made us think , you made us respond but most of all you shared your passion for this sport , your loved ones and life in general .......Peace and RIP , may the angels ride the lift with you !

 

[JimG.]

Attended the viewing tonight. Nice turnout of family and friends. Kzone was represented by Dork, myself, G-smashed and D, Junior and J, SheCanSki and FirstScrape. Saw their friend Milagros there too. I made a book made up of a printout of the RIP AndyZee thread on KillingtonZone and the tribute thread on here and gave it to Violetta. AlpineZone sent a nice flower arrangement.
Violetta told us that he started feeling sick 2 months ago but it was not until 3 weeks ago that they found out that it was cancer of the pancreas and that it was stage 4. That's how quickly this happened. Take care everyone and try to enjoy each day as you never know what will happen in the future.

Thanks so much for giving Vee a copy of our tribute thread here.

Events like this one make me realize that I need to reach out to folks I've skied with in the past but maybe not so recently. You, Dork, and your children qualify in that regard. We got to ski about 4 runs at Hunter about 6 years ago. That's too long ago. I'll be at K as much as I can this season. I will reach out to you and others who I have never skied with on this board who are regulars there.

Perhaps that is the best tribute I can give to Andy at this point.

 

[thaller1]

It was here on this Board that I met Andy. We travelled to Utah the year V was injured. We got off to a shaky start to say the least. V was injured, Andy and I both injured ourselves that first day out at Solitude. After a miscommunication we had "words", however, I was persistent in making things right. Although I didn't know him well at that time something in me told me I needed to keep him and V in my life. We patched things up and he made the trek to SR one July 4th with V, Milagros and Jeff and we had a fantastic evening. Since we have chatted back and forth regularly and his sense of humor kept W and I rolling. Andy and V came to Maine two summers ago for our annual lobster bake and camped out with us. We shared Margaritas and laughs .. a wonderful memory. Lots of lessens to be learned here. Don't give up, ever. Love EVERYday. Grab life with both hands, smile and don't depend on anyone else to make you happy. Andy is gone from our sight but we can honestly say he left no stone unturned..no regrets.. and for that lessen, Andy, I thank you!

 

[dmc]

OK... So now that his wife has the thread - let me tell you how I really feel.....
My hope is that YOU ALL don't need the death of a friend to appreciate life..

Tough ski road for AndyZee.. Started skiing later in life - at least I think he did.. And jumped right into the fray becoming a member of the KZone board.... Taking all the abuse that the board has to offer with retorts fashioned during the early cold war. But taking it -none the less.

Most of us started a loooong time ago when we were young and limber and all that.. But no.. Not Andy.. BOOM! He was going to KMart - BOOM! he was fighting his way down OL... BOOOM!!! He was at Tucks..

None of this really caught my eye until he started going to Tuckerman Ravine. If you go to Tucks - it's normally not about being the best in the zipper line like the KMart crowd he hung with - it's about connecting on a deeper level with the sport. And I sensed he got that. I would've really liked to have met him there someday.

His memory and spirit now joins the rest.

 

[SkiDork]

He looked really good - the short length of time I guess meant it didn't make him frail at all. Looked just like the AndyZ I remember. The dude had great hair (jealous).

Vee was up and down, as I would have expected. It was so fast.

She doesn't know what she's going to do at this point. My guess is she moves back to Poland. Makes sense as she has all of her family there. I wish her the best of luck and would love to see her out on the slopes again.

There was a picture of Andy running a marathon in 1988 that said US Olympic Trials - not sure of the story behind that.

 

[marcski]

This is so truly sad. While I never met Andy, his love and passion for skiing and life always came through loud and clear to me. My condolences to his wife and family. RIP.

 

[Greg]

Re-post. Wrong thread:

Obviously, I'm not all that active here anymore. However, Andy was a big part of the this community, and while he and I had our moments over the years, I prefer to remember the good times with him. Andy was a part of the first ever official AlpineZone gathering, and I had put this video together at the time to document the day. Not a lot of andyzee footage, but I would like to dedicate this video to him:



R.I.P andyzee

 

[ERJ-145CA]

RIP Andy. I never met him but felt like I knew him from this forum. He'll be missed. Condolences to his family.