Stratford author remembered as more than just a writer

Andrew Pyper, back row middle, and Larry McCabe, second from the right in the second row, began their decades-old friendship when playing Rotary Hockey in the 1980s.

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Messages of condolences from Stratford-area residents continue to pour in following the death of author Andrew Pyper.

The Festival City native, who has called Toronto home for years, passed away last week of complications from cancer at the age of 56. His first novel, Lost Girls, started a career of award-winning thrillers which has continued to this day. He published a total of 14 novels, several of which are award-winners and best-sellers.

This writer, while not a close friend of Pyper, played many rounds of golf with him at the Stratford Country Club, where his family spent many hours. One of his oldest and dearest friends is Larry McCabe, a Stratford city councillor and owner of Pazzo and Bouffon restaurants.

The Times reached out to McCabe, who first met Pyper when the two played Rotary Hockey in Stratford. McCabe’s Facebook post was how many Stratford residents heard the sad news.

“I just pulled up a picture of us playing on Morris Plumbing back in the day. He stands so tall and confidently; that was kind of my first reaction to Andrew. He was always very secure with what he was doing and did it all very well,” McCabe said.

McCabe added anyone close to Pyper adored him because of his personality.

“He was so funny and smart, up for a game and mischief, and was so much more resilient than the rest of us. He was a talent and I knew he was going to go far. He really taught me to aspire. I would be a completely different person had I not met him.”

He added Pyper was respectful and easy to be around, something McCabe said was a result of a solid family unit.

“Having seen that household and having spent a lot of time on Joffre Street in the basement getting up to no good, having conversations with Dr. Pyper and the rest of the family, they weren’t sure what to do with me, but they were always respectful and graceful.”

McCabe said he knew for about a year his old friend wasn’t well, but added Pyper wasn’t totally forthcoming with specific details.

“He kept things close to his chest. He was very much focused on his family. I was surprised at the end. I thought of him as indomitable and thought he would overcome. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case here. He was in his prime as a writer and a person.”

Pyper attended McGill University where he studied English literature and graduated with both an Honours BA and a Master’s degree before chasing a law degree at the University of Toronto. He was called to the bar in 1996, but McCabe explained anyone who knew him well assumed he would never actually become a member of the bar and practice law.

“He was always going to be a writer. That was clear and that was his vision. Everybody was happy when he had his first publication of Kiss Me and expected he would do exactly what he did: write books.

“I think he became one of the most important writers of the last 20 years in Canadian literature. The quality of his work is incredible. He is a literary craftsman of some note, but the genre he chose is the thriller and that doesn’t necessarily get the kind of respect it is due.”

McCabe added books like The Demonologist provided readers with such fright at moments and Pyper was a master of writing thrillers.

The Demonologist was published in 2013 and was also translated and published in Greece, Holland, Bulgaria, China, Poland, Türkiye, Taiwan, Spain, Russia, Italy, Brazil, Japan, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and France. The novel's film rights are held by Oscar-winning director and producer Robert Zemeckis and his company ImageMovers, and Universal Pictures.

McCabe said a memorial is planned in Toronto and donations can be made in Pyper’s memory to Tree Canada at justgiving.com/campaign/andrewpyper. A celebration of life is in the works for Stratford at a later date.

“I’m hoping we can find some way of memorializing Andrew in this community. He is such an important artist and grew up in this community. His memory will grow as the years pass by. He had such a brilliant mind for literature and there are two books yet to be published.”

McCabe believes his friend was concerned about his family, working right up until the end of his life.

“He was a remarkably resilient and dedicated person and it’s lovely to see the heartwarming stories about Andrew. He touched a lot of people.”

Pyper’s obituary can be found at cremationcare.ca/tribute/details/628/Andrew-Pyper/obituary.html#tribute-start.