Andres Laansoo

ANDRES LAANSOO, DDS, BScD, FADSA

April 18, 1944 – February 8, 2023

Passed away at his home on Wednesday at the age of 78 after his long battle with Myelofibrosis, a rare bone Cancer.

Andres, the second son of August and Malle (Kobin) Laansoo, was born near the city of Tartu, Estonia at the height of World War II.

In 1944 when the Russian invasion of Estonia threatened their lives, the family managed to flee to Sweden where they lived and worked until 1951.  As the threat and proximity of Russia was still real, the family chose to immigrate and make Canada their new home, settling in Toronto, Ontario.

Andres attended and finished public school and high school in Toronto and was accepted at the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry.  He graduated in 1969, obtaining a further degree in Anaesthesiology in 1971.   While at university, Andres met and later married a dental school classmate.

In 1971, they moved to Barrie, Ontario and set up a joint dental practice.  Over the next decade, the practice thrived, they became established in the local community, bought a home in the country, and raised two sons – Jaan Paul Laansoo (1976), and Peter Andres Laansoo (1978).

In 1982, the marriage ended and his wife took their two sons and moved to London, Ontario where both boys are still living.

After his divorce, Andres carried on a “solo” dental practice in Barrie and also had surgical privileges at Royal Victoria Hospital.  He enjoyed a very successful career, respected by peers and patients alike.  He retired after 40 challenging rewarding years of dentistry.

In 1985, Andres bought a 100 acre farm in Oro-Medonte, and began developing it as a hobby tree farm.  He planted almost 50,000 trees over the next few years.

In the 1980’s, Andres met Jo Ann Weidman, and her two daughters, Marnie and Katie.  Over many years, sharing the ups and downs of daily life, Andres and Jo Ann formed a strong and loving bond, that lasted his lifetime.

In 1998, Andres built Jo Ann their dream house on the farm, where they continued to enjoy their shared interest in creating a wonderful woodland retreat with rich green lawns, colourful flower beds, a vegetable and herb garden, and many trees of varied species flourishing throughout the property.  They enjoyed nature, feeding and watching birds and enjoying a variety of wildlife living in the woods.

Their extended family and friends named the farm “Laansooland” and shared many happy holidays and celebrations with them.

When he retired in 2010, Andres established the farm as a Registered Ontario Managed Forest and he was a proud member of the Ontario Woodlands Association, and Forests Ontario.  Until his death, Andres and Jo Ann shared a beautiful life and love.  Andres tended his trees, and loved to “putter” and “fix things” and Jo Ann cared for her home and gardens and delighted in hosting dinner parties with family and friends.

Jo Ann will deeply miss her soul-mate Andres.  He will also be missed by her daughters, Marnie McKend, and Katherine Randell, her husband Ryan, and their two sons, Logan and Aiden.  Andres will also be missed by his two sons, Jaan (Karen), and Peter, as well as by his brother Jüri Laansoo (Marje) and their children;  Kristi,  Arvo (Kim),  Eero (Claire).  He will also be missed by his good friend of 50 years, Dr. Walter Pezuk.

The family would like to thank Dr. McTurk, Dr. Spence, Dr. Saunders and the members of the Cancer Care Clinic at Royal Victoria Hospital, for their excellent care over the past several years.

If you would like to honour the memory of this "one of a kind" man, in lieu of flowers or donations, plant a tree and remember Andres!