Colin Andries’s buoyant joy proved unsinkable despite fierce headwinds. For the past two years, he confronted his cancer diagnosis and treatment with resilient positivity, tightly holding to the love that anchored him. In his final days, facing the end of treatment options, Colin chose to chart his own course, surrounding himself with those he loved most. On Saturday, September 7, his hands, though so full of life, gently let go. He passed quietly and peacefully at home with his beautiful wife’s hand in his.

To know Colin was to know a man who loved life with extraordinary brilliance and lived his with a radiance that lit up all who came near him. He understood love to be a verb and shared his by showing up with laughter that filled every room and a boundless generosity of spirit. If you ever needed a pep talk, or help moving, or someone to show you around a new city, or a ride to the airport, or help with a speeding ticket, or needed anything at all, you could always count on Colin.

Colin's love for people was at the heart of who he was, and he centered his life around connection. He inherited his father George’s joy in community and his mother Patti’s care for others. He cultivated both through his personal and professional relationships. After a youth spent in Medford alongside his brothers Sean and Dustin, he moved to Eugene where he became a proud graduate of the University of Oregon, earning both his undergraduate and law degrees while cementing the foundational friendships on which he built his life. His career brought him to Portland where he became a respected partner at Black Helterline LLP and made lasting contributions to his field. A commitment to excellence, leadership, and volunteerism with both the Oregon State Bar and the American Bar Association was a hallmark of his work, as was his passion for mentoring young lawyers through the early stages of their careers.

Yet, of all his accomplishments, Colin’s most cherished role was that of a husband and father. Nothing brought him greater joy than the time he spent with his wife, Evyan, watching their two sons, Jackson and Hudson, grow. His love for them was the fulcrum around which his world spun, and he leveraged that strength into determination as he exhausted all available treatment options while creating countless joyful memories his family will cherish forever. It is in them that his spirit lives on.

The world is lonelier without Colin in it. His community mourns its loss, but Colin would not want anyone to linger in sadness for long. He believed in embracing life fully, and in his final days, he found comfort in trusting those he cherished to care for one another when he could no longer. In the weeks and months to come, they hold one another close as Colin always had. He hated being alone and, in that spirit, those he loved honor him by staying connected, as he so often encouraged. All who knew and loved Colin are invited to join his family for a celebration of his life at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland on October 12, 2024, from 2-5pm. Colin always loved a party and a party about Colin was his favorite kind; he would want you to be there.

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/colin-george-andries/obituary/

Copy