16/07/1947 - 31/10/2023
Andrew was born in Melbourne and raised in Malvern as the only child of Alice and Jack Murrowood. In 1958, he commenced his education at Wesley in Form 6A under the watchful eye of Roy Norry and soon proved to be a bright student.
He also proved to have the ‘gift of the gab’ and earned the nickname ‘Trappy’ because he showed little inclination in keeping his mouth shut! At sport, Andrew played football as well as cricket and swam for the school swimming team. However, it was at gymnastics that he really excelled under the expert coaching of Bonnie Franks, and he was selected to compete in the Victorian State Junior Gymnastic Titles in 1962.
Andrew also learned to play the clarinet. He performed with it very proficiently in the school orchestra under the baton of Stuart Wilkie and also played in various jazz ensembles. It was from this experience that his great love of music originated and led to him playing guitar and banjo as well as attending classical music concerts later in life.
After matriculating from Wesley at the end of 1964, Andrew went to the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (as it was then) and studied for a Diploma of Metallurgy. During those undergraduate years he shared a house with David Eade (OW1965) and Robert Lawrence (OW1964) and played football with Collegians. His first job involved testing for signs of fatigue failure in aircraft components. Soon after, Andrew joined Alcan, a Canadian mining company and aluminium manufacturer, where he found managerial roles far more to his liking than being a ‘boffin’ or technical specialist.
It was at Alcan where he really developed his leadership skills and demonstrated his flair for successfully managing people and finances. Whilst with Alcan, Andrew was transferred to Sydney, then Brisbane and then back to Melbourne where he subsequently became Chief Executive Officer of Ronstan Marine, a company that manufactures sailboat hardware and rigging components. His business career involved many other senior positions that included Regional General Manager for Chandler Macleod, Chairman of Chalmers Transport and Principal of his own management consulting company.
In 1985 and 1986, Andrew was President of Collegians’ Football Club, and it was in 1986 that Collegians won their first Amateur A Grade Premiership for 25 years under his leadership. In 1989, he joined the Athenaeum Club as a loyal and enthusiastic member. He became its Vice President in 2021 and would have become Club President in 2024.
Apart from the demands of his business responsibilities, Andrew was a devoted family man and a loving father and grandfather. He is survived by his two daughters, Kate and Anna, and his grandson, Levi James.
Contributed by John Bitcon (OW1965) and Ed Johnson (OW1964)
