RIP - Frank Andrews

Frank Andrews died on Monday 11 July 2022.  His funeral was held on Friday 15 July in St Mary's Church in Silverstream.    

Frank was interested in the stars from a young age and joined the Canterbury Astronomical Society at the age of seven.  He was an active sportsman and was in the first XV in the third form at Christ College.  He then contracted polio and the effects of the illness curtailed his promising sporting career.  

He started shooting while at college.  When he left University, he started teaching and after working at Aranui College, went back to Christ College as a teacher.  His first trips to Trentham were to the nationals, as the shooting master, with the Christ College team. 

He was appointed as the director and education officer at the Carter Observatory in 1979 and joined the Onslow Rifle Club. 

He was always cheerful and interesting to talk to about astronomy and the projects he was working on.  He could explain his work in ways that were easy to understand and interesting.  When Halley's Comet was visible from NZ in 1986, TVNZ used Frank as their expert. 

He wasn't able to devote much time to shooting as he was involved in many international projects and was often working overseas.  As time went on, we saw a lot more of him at social events than we did on the range. 

My daughter Rebecca remembers him as a very kind and knowledgeable man.  

He was as he described himself, an educator, he had a rare ability to connect with people and was able to communicate complex ideas in ways anyone could understand. 

Kevin Win

July 2022