Tony Edward Andrew

Born January 23, 1933 in Catawba County NC, he was the son of the late Ray Albert Andrews and Earol Augustus Robinson Andrews. Tony served in the United States Air Force from 1951 – 1955. After returning home to Catawba County, he attended Lenoir Rhyne College, receiving his BA in Education. He then pursued his Master’s degree in Education at Appalachian State University.

After working as an insurance adjuster for twelve years, Tony returned to his lifelong passion of teaching. He began teaching at St. Stephens’s High School in 1972 where he is remembered by scores of students to whom he taught English, Humanities, Debate, Golf and relevant and irrelevant life lessons. He is particularly remembered for teaching from his famous “Book of Life” where “fair” is something that comes once a year. Tony wanted to be remembered as having “the wit of a clown and the soul of a poet.” He is in fact remembered that way by those who knew and loved him.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Ray Albert Andrews, Jr.

Tony is survived by his wife of 57 years, Barbara Bumgarner Andrew; daughters, Lisa Andrew Dubs of Hickory, and Linda Andrew Hunsicker of Orlando, FL; son, Tony Edward Andrew II of N. Myrtle Beach, SC; brother, Jimmy Wayne Andrews of Ft. Worth, TX; grandchildren, Laurel Dubs, Alexandra Dubs, Margaret Hunsicker, Emma Hunsicker, Audrey Hunsicker, Dinah Hunsicker and Tony Andrew, III; great-grandchildren, Kaylee Hightower and Gage Hightower.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, 2015 in the Chapel of Drum Funeral Home, 940 29th Ave NE, Hickory, NC, with Rev. Jacquelyn Taylor officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery.

The family will receive friends from 12:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. There will also be a gathering of friends from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Bethel United Methodist Church in Longview where everyone is welcome to come tell stories and celebrate his life. Tony would be happy to have people laughing, telling stories and honoring him the way he lived his life, doing the same.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Catawba Regional Hospice, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC 28658 or Bethel United Methodist Church, 80 28th Street NW, Hickory, NC 28601.

In his last days, Tony was attended to by the earthbound angels of Hospice. Together they sang and laughed and Tony loved his time spent with them. The family is very grateful for this blessing.