John Andrako

ANDRAKO, John, Ph.D., of Midlothian, died August 21, 2018, at the age of 94. Retired as Professor Emeritus of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy VCU/MCV, where he also served as Associate Vice President and Vice President for Health Sciences for 18 years.

He was born in Perth Amboy, N.J., the son of the late Charles and Helen Andrako. He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Wanda J. Andrako. Dr. Andrako was predeceased by his first wife, Ruth Whitt Andrako, mother of his three children: Dr. John David Andrako (Lynne) of Richmond, Diane Andrako Shasky (Charles) of Hanover and Susan Andrako Heiligman (Mark) of Minneapolis. He is also survived by grandchildren, David Andrako (Jill), Matthew Andrako, Kirsten Ruth Shasky Hoggatt (Johnathan), Beck Shasky, Zachary Heiligman, Max Heiligman (Athena) and Alexander Heiligman; as well as two great-grandsons, Bert Laytone Andrako and George Whitt Andrako. Also surviving are two Andrako stepgrandchildren, Laurie Williams Richardson and Lyndsey Williams Yocom (Kyle) and their children, Jack, Anne Harvey and Catherine Richardson, and Addison, Parker and Hutson Yocom. He was preceded in death by stepson, Randolph Barth. He is also survived by stepdaughter, Dawn Renee Smith; and stepgrandchildren, Melinda Fleming, Christian Barth (Christina), Alexander Barth, Matthew Barth; and stepgreat-grandchildren, Ryan and Julia Fleming and Daniel and Lily Barth.

Dr. Andrako received a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from Rutgers University and a Ph.D. in Medicinal Chemistry from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he also served on the faculty for seven years prior to coming to Medical College of Virginia in 1956. In 1992, VCU awarded him the Presidential Medallion. He was also presented an honorary doctorate from Uzhgorod National University, Uzhgorod, Ukraine.

During WWII, he served as a combat medic with the 84th Infantry Division in the European Theatre of Operations, seeing action in the Rhineland, Battle of the Bulge and Central Europe.

The funeral service will be held at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, 1101 Forest Avenue, Richmond, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 25. Immediately following the service, friends and family are invited to the parish hall for light refreshment. There will be a private interment at Westhampton Cemetery at a later date. Family will receive friends at Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Road, Richmond, on the evening of Friday, August 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Matthew's Episcopal Church Endowment Fund.