The daughters of Andy Haugen are heartbroken to announce his passing on Sunday, May 10, 2026, in Calgary, AB.

How do you summarize a life lived so fully, so courageously and well?

Dad, the oldest of seven children, was born in Norway, a country he loved deeply throughout his life. As a young man, hungry for adventure and opportunity, he left Norway with his cousins John (Sam Pettersen) and Ogat Haugen (Ludwig). Together they boarded a ship headed for Canada, beginning a journey that would shape the rest of his life. Eventually settling in Hythe, AB, he met and fell in love with another Norwegian, our mother, Gladys. Together they built a strong and loving family rooted in hard work, laughter, resilience, and unwavering values.

Dad shared an extraordinarily lifelong friendship with Sam. The two were inseparable through the decades of adventure, mischief, stories, and laughter. His close relationship with Ogat, who moved to Florida, inspired Dad’s lifelong love of Florida, where we spent many treasured vacations together.

Though he made Canada his home, he never forgot Norway. Our lives were filled with Norwegian traditions, customs, stories, and pride in our heritage. He remained deeply involved in the Sons of Norway organization and maintained close family ties with family overseas his whole life. He returned to Norway many times and cherished every opportunity to reconnect with his roots and family.

Dad began his career as a carpenter, but his ambition and entrepreneurial spirit soon led him into home building, real estate, and development. He loved working and never truly stopped building, whether it was business, ideas, relationships, or himself.

Personal growth mattered deeply to him, and although we may not have appreciated it as teenagers, he often insisted we attend personal development seminars with him, lessons that stayed with us for life.

No matter what challenges life presented, Dad always chose optimism. He believed deeply in perseverance, personal responsibility, and facing adversity head-on. He taught us to look for solutions rather than problems and to keep moving forward with strength and grace. He laughed loudly, often and wholeheartedly. Dad loved practical jokes and teasing people, whether family, friends, or complete strangers. His sense of humour and joy for life were contagious.

To us, he was our rock, the steady voice of reason we turned to whenever life became difficult. He listened carefully, spoke thoughtfully, and gave patient and grounded advice.

Some of our greatest memories are simply the conversations we shared with him, whether around the dinner table, on family trips, or during long talks about life.

“This is not a dress rehearsal,” he often reminded us, and he truly lived that way. He embraced life fully and remained active in his later years. He loved golfing with his close-knit group of friends, and true to his Norwegian roots, he loved cross-country skiing. He joked that “Norwegians are born with skis on.” Even into his seventies, he continued competing in the gruelling Birkebeiner ski race. He also found joy in hunting, fishing, hiking, reading, travelling, music, dancing, and being outdoors.

Despite his success, Dad never lost the humility that came from his modest beginnings. He was a man of character, integrity, honesty, fairness, generosity, kindness, and deep core values. He believed in education, positivity, hard work, respect for others, and living life with purpose. He appreciated hard work and celebration, being equally comfortable dressed sharply for an evening out or in work clothes carrying his tools. As much as he loved his beautiful homeland of Norway, he loved Alberta’s wide-open spaces and big blue skies. He especially loved Grande Prairie, the people there, and the life he built in Canada.

How do we say goodbye to someone who shaped so much of who you are? We will carry the countless memories, lessons, laughter, and love he gave us. We are forever grateful for his guidance, friendship, unwavering support, and steadfast love throughout our lives. Though our hearts are broken, we knew he was ready.

Goodbye, Dad. Love you forever.

Andy will be missed by his daughters, Shelly (Paul) McMillan, Delaine (Alex) Haugen, and Cathy Haugen; his grandchildren, Julie, Lee, Craig, Stefen, Evan, and Shea; his great-grandchildren, Kate, Beau, Cole, and Chloe; his sisters, Gunda and Kirsti; his brother, Asbjorn; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his wife, Gladys; his son-in-law, Richard (husband to Cathy); his parents, Olga and Gunnar; his sister, Anne Gerd; and his brothers, Kare and Jakob.

As per Andy’s request, there will be no formal funeral service.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Andy’s family here.

In living memory of Andy Haugen, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Deerfoot South, 12281 – 40th Street SE, Calgary, AB T2Z 4E6, Telephone: 403-203-0525.