DOBELL: Robert ‘Andrew’ of Bayfield
Posted By Haskett Funeral Homes On September 18, 2026 @ 2:29 PM In Goderich, Obituary | 11 Comments
August 23, 1965 – September 11, 2026
It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Robert Andrew Dobell on September 11, 2026, at the age of 61, in Bayfield, Ontario.
Andrew was born in Montreal, Quebec, to parents Evelyn (Anne) (predeceased) and Alfred Dobell (predeceased). He was the youngest child of the blended family spending the first 13 years of his life in Montreal with his six siblings, Robin, Catherine, Taylor, Richard, Ian and Patricia. In 1978, the family moved to Oakville, Ontario, where he lived for several more years attending school, working odd jobs and unsuccessfully staying out of trouble.
Andrew had many interests, but his greatest passion was sailing. He learned to sail at a young age during family summers in Maine, and that passion continued throughout his life. He felt complete happiness with nothing more than the wind in his sails and the auto-helm switched to “on.”
During the 1980s and ‘90s, he was a singer/songwriter for the rock bands Europa and In The Flesh. He possessed immense musical talent with a powerful singing voice. He was the ultimate front-man with a stage presence second to none, entertaining thousands of fans while touring both Canada and the U.S. The road stories are legendary!
Andrew was a force to be reckoned with. He was fearless, full of life, always testing the limits of his abilities, even if it meant potential bodily harm. He could talk to anyone on any topic, from world politics and classic literature to how well his New England Patriots were (or were not) doing that season.
He was extremely generous and had a heart of gold. His charisma brought a smile and a laugh to everyone he met. His greatest joy was bringing happiness to others.
He will be greatly missed by many friends, family and by the squirrels he would feed every morning.
Andrew is survived by his loving wife Pamela Purdy, siblings Robin Comolli (Grant Loewen), Catherine Marshall (Graham Batchelor – predeceased), Taylor Marshall (Marie Colford), Richard Dobell, and Patricia Dobell (Rubin Kurtz). He was predeceased by his brother Ian. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Cremation has taken place, and a Celebration of Life will be held at a future date.
Condolences for the family of “DOBELL: Robert ‘Andrew’ of Bayfield”
Pam – am so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you and Andrew’s family.
Have so many wonderful memories of Andrew. We shared many a good time – as you know!
I will miss him.
It Was My Privilege To Call Andrew My Friend, A Generous, Talented, Intelligent ,Caring ,Gentleman. My Deepest Heartfelt Condolences To You Pam ,Andrew’s Family And His Friends Upon Your Lose Of Andrew.
Good Bless His Soul,
Gary Wagman
I was a friend of Andrew for many years. He was one of the most fun persons to be with and man could he tell a story of his life adventures. I am grateful to be part of those adventures. I will miss you my friend. Condolences to Pam and the whole family. Love you Andrew.
I am so sorry for the loss of Andrew. He was a large presence in our early years and was loved by many! Fair winds to your next adventure Andrew!
I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew just before Covid and I will always remember his kindness, his love of sailing and music, his wonderful sense of humour, and, of course, his very strong opinions about the Habs and the Leafs!
I’m so very sad to hear of Andrew’s passing. He was a truly lovely man, and I feel fortunate to have had the pleasure of knowing him. He will be missed.
My heart goes out to you Pam and all the family during this extremely difficult time.
Dear Pam
So very sorry for your loss
Savour the wonderful memories
Shirlee & Lawrence
Pam and family, my sincere condolences.
I had the pleasure of living balconies away from Andrew for 5 plus years.
We spent many summers conversing balcony to balcony and always checking in on each other.
My fondest memories will be his love for my little girl, the smile he had when seeing her, his simple gifts with what little he had, they had a special relationship.
I will forever giggle every time I hear a leaf blower. He despised Thursday garden days. We love and miss you Andrew. I hope you truly know how loved you were.
Love Ashley and Alyssa xo
Our family is shocked and incredibly saddened to hear of Andrew’s passing!
We spent many many fun times together at each other’s homes growing up, down at the Oakville Club, trying to evade our parents, grabbing a beer or two at a local pub, watching Andrew perform on stage, etc. Andrew had an extraordinary gift to make us all laugh as he held court and entertained us all with that twinkle of mischief in his eyes!
We will never forget Andrew, and our many memories will be treasured forever.
Our most sincere condolences go out to Pam and the whole family.
Andrew had many friends my deepest condolences to his family and may he rest in peace
Pam (and family),
My sincerest condolences go to you and your family on the passing of Andrew.
Warmest regards,
Ryan
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Andrew was a force and I really enjoyed our debates and banter about everything.
Extremely intelligent…perhaps to his own detriment.
We shared some great stories about sailing and music. Monty Python references most people would never know now.
Im gonna miss you man and my heart goes out to Pam and the family.