Last Sunday, people gathered at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge Golf Clubhouse to celebrate their brother, uncle, cousin, friend and coworker, Andy Coolen, who died unexpectedly on Aug. 13.
The 46-year-old, who tended bar at JPL for 22 years, beginning in 1991, succumbed to head injuries he sustained after stumbling down the steps outside Le Pub, a popular gathering place for JPL staff.
鈥淎ndy鈥檚 death was so sudden, so quick and so unexpected,鈥� Coolen鈥檚 long-time friend Keith Clarke said during the memorial service. 鈥淒eath is something you鈥檒l never, ever get over, especially a dear, dear friend.鈥�
There wasn鈥檛 an empty seat in the golf clubhouse and it was 鈥渙verwhelming to know that Andy had so many friends,鈥� said Coolen鈥檚 brother, John. Coolen鈥檚 family members travelled all the way from Sydney, N.S. to attend his Jasper memorial.
Coolen was born and raised in Sydney and completed a hospitality course there before making the move out west and ultimately settling down in Jasper.
Clarke described his friend as 鈥渁 professional bartender that certainly knew his craft. There wasn鈥檛 much that Andy couldn鈥檛 make.鈥�
His sense of humour was also a common thread in everyone鈥檚 favourite stories about him. 鈥淗e liked fast cars and fast women, only he told me he was too slow to catch them,鈥� said John.
Beyond women and cars, Coolen was an avid mountain biker who enjoyed riding trails on his days off.
He was also a big WWE fan, so every Monday night he could be found in front of the TV watching wrestling. WWE superstar Chris Jericho stayed at JPL last winter and one of the staff managed to get Jericho鈥檚 autograph on a cocktail napkin for Coolen. On the day of the memorial, the autograph was still displayed on Coolen鈥檚 fridge, said Clarke.
Coolen especially was a Sammy Hagar enthusiast. 鈥淚鈥檓 told that Andy liked two types of music: rock and roll,鈥� said Rev. Dawn Herman, who presided over the memorial service.
In his own tribute to Coolen, long-time friend and former roommate Rico Damota wrote a post on Facebook, saying 鈥淥ne thing Andy and I shared was a love for a similar taste in music. Van Halen and Sammy [Hagar] included. Sammy, the Red Rocker, who Andy adored, lived life like Andy may have dreamed of living.鈥�
Damota went on to quote Hagar鈥檚 song 鈥淒reams鈥�, which he interprets as being about living the life you鈥檙e given, no matter how tough it gets.
鈥淎ndy, you met a lot of people who you made feel good over the years,鈥� wrote Damota. 鈥淭hanks for bringing that love of life to all of us.鈥�
The friendly bartender 鈥渨ill be missed by us all, but not forgotten,鈥� wrote Wayne Hnatyshin, JPL director of operations, in an email.
Coolen鈥檚 nephew, Brice, recently joined JPL鈥檚 ranks as a chef and 鈥渨ill continue on the [Coolen] name at JPL,鈥� said his dad, John.
Coolen鈥檚 funeral service will be held on Aug. 23 in Sydney N.S. Condolences can be sent via www.sydneymemorialchapel.ca or by emailing [email protected]. Memorial donations can be made out to the Canadian Diabetes Foundation.
Sarah Makowsky
[email protected]
