Andrew L. Jameson Sr.

To many, he was Andy, but to those fortunate enough to know him best, he was simply Pops. It was more than a nickname. It reflected the place he held in the lives of the people who loved him and the warmth, friendship, laughter, and sense of family that seemed to follow him wherever he went.

Above everything else, Andy was a family man. He was a loving husband to Jane, a proud dad to Emily (Jason), Justin (Zina), Andrew (Audrey), and a cherished grandpa to Jordan, Devin, Charlotte, and Grace.

As a husband and father, Andy took great pride in providing for his family. He worked hard, raised his children alongside Jane, and showed his love in many of the ways that came naturally to him: providing, helping, building, fixing, coaching, and simply being there when his family needed him. Much of what he did throughout those years was centered around making sure his family was taken care of.

Then came another chapter: Dad became Grandpa. Becoming a grandfather seemed to bring out an even softer and more openly loving side of Andy. The man who had spent so many years focused on working, providing, and raising his own children now had grandchildren to spoil and enjoy. With Jordan, Devin, Charlotte, and Grace, the answer was rarely “no.” Being Grandpa gave him a different perspective on life, one with a little more time to enjoy the moment, say yes, and simply soak up being with them.

For more than four years, Andy courageously battled cancer with a strength and determination that never wavered. There were difficult days along the way, but giving up was never part of who he was. He continued to fight, kept moving forward, and refused to let cancer define the life he was still determined to live.

Andy was an incredibly hard worker throughout his life, right up until the end. He was still working just two weeks before his passing. Staying busy was simply part of who Andy was. There was always something that needed to be done, something that could be fixed, or another project waiting for him.

And if you knew Pops, you knew the garage.

His garage was much more than a place for tools and projects. Over the years, it became a gathering place for family, friends, neighbors, and just about anyone who happened to see that the garage door was open. You could usually find Pops out there tinkering with something, listening to the radio, watching whatever sport was on TV, and enjoying a beer.

Pops always said there was work to be done, but an open garage door had a way of changing his plans. Someone would stop in, Pops would set aside whatever he was working on, and a quick hello could turn into hours of conversation.

Andy loved working with his hands and had an incredible ability to create. Whether he was building something from scratch, improving something that already existed, or coming up with his own solution to a problem, Andy had a way of making things work. Some of his creations probably should have been patented.

There was the flow meter at Water Tower, the countless trailers he built for the Airshows, and then there was his enclosed deep-frying turkey contraption, one of those unique creations that could leave even the people who knew him best shaking their heads, laughing, and impressed all at once. Like so many things Andy built, it was built to last and will continue to be brought out and used year after year, keeping his handiwork and the tradition, he created part of the family's celebrations.

But Andy also knew there was more to life than work.

His life was filled with simple moments that grew into cherished family traditions and lasting memories. Baseball and Football became especially meaningful as he went from watching his boys play to coaching Justin and Andrew's teams, sharing his time and love of the game with them. Weekends brought family and friends together for bags tournaments in the alley, played on boards Pops had built himself, right down to making the bags. They were ordinary moments at the time, but they became the kind of memories that stick with you: family, friends, a little competition, plenty of conversation, and Pops right in the middle of it.

Family vacations created another collection of memories. Some of the first were two weeks in Daytona during the winter, followed by two weeks in the summer visiting Black Bear Portage. Even on vacation, he would inevitably find something around camp that needed fixing and get to work. But then the tools were put away, and the days gave way to made-up games, fishing and swimming, followed by nights spent together looking toward the sky, spotting satellites and hoping to catch a shooting star or, when they were especially lucky, the northern lights.

As the kids grew older, Andy and Jane took up camping, which became another chapter in the life they shared together. Their travels included camping trips connected with NASCAR, bringing together his enjoyment of the sport with something he valued even more: being away and spending that time together.

One of his favorite adventures was having the entire family together at Walt Disney World. Dad might have had his opinions about the day's plans, but in the end, where they went or what they did mattered far less than having everyone together and enjoying every moment he had with his family.

The garage will be quieter now, and the radio won't sound quite the same. Seeing that open garage door, hearing a game on television, or sitting down with a cold beer will carry a different feeling. But the conversations, the stories and laughter, the baseball/football games and bags tournaments, the family vacations and nights under the stars, and the things Pops built with his own two hands will live on in the people who shared those moments with him.

Andy will be deeply missed by his wife, Jane; his children, Emily (Jason), Justin (Zina), and Andrew (Audrey); his grandchildren, Jordan, Devin, Charlotte, and Grace; and the many family members and friends whose lives were better simply because his garage door, and his heart, were always open to them.

While there is great sadness in losing him, there is so much more to celebrate in the life he lived. His legacy is in his family, the friendships he made, the things he built, the traditions that will continue, and the countless ordinary moments that became lasting memories simply because he was there.

And that is how those who loved him will remember him: busy with something in his hands, the radio playing, a game on the television, a cold beer nearby, the garage door open, family and friends stopping in, and always enough time for one more story.

Visitation will be Friday, November 6, 2026 from 12 – 3 PM at Oehler Funeral Home, 2099 Miner Street, Des Plaines, IL.