Andrew Andrews Jr.

Andrew “Andy” Andrews, 86, of East Hartford, passed away on October 1, 2016, after a long and valiant fight with lung cancer. The beloved husband of Arlene (Gotowala) Andrews since 1952, passed with his family by his bedside.

Andy was born September 16, 1930 in New Britain, CT to the late Andrew and Mary Andrews. After extensive continuing technical education, he started work as a mechanical draftsman and eventually advanced to manufacturing engineer. He spent his career working in support of the aircraft manufacturing industry for National Welding and Manufacturing Co., Omega Corp., Aetna Special Manufacturing Corp., James Howden America, and Lewis Machine Co.; which included positions in cost estimating, purchasing, and operations management.

Andy was a veteran of the Korean War, having served in the Navy on the USS Taconic AGC-17 Amphibian Force Command Ship.

After membership in Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Church of New Britain, CT, Andy was a longtime parishioner of St. Christopher Church in East Hartford, CT. He was also a founding and active member of the East Hartford Sportsmen’s Association, having joined in 1957, and had been an honorary member for the last twenty years.

When Andy wasn’t working, or working on the house or the cars, he loved being outdoors fishing, hunting, or just hiking outside with family and friends.

Andy will be most remembered for the guidance and wisdom he provided and passed along to his family and grandsons; concepts that promoted learning, hard work, independent thought, and thoughtful discussion. Those tenets led to “lively” discussions in the household whereby any topic or issue could be brought out onto the table—rather than be left undiscussed, be less than fully and completely examined, or remaining unresolved. And Andy fully was a role model by example for investing whatever unflagging perseverance, endurance, and fortitude was required to get any job done!

Besides his wife Arlene, he is survived by and will dearly missed by his son Marc Andrews and his wife Michele of Durham, CT, and their sons (Andy’s grandsons): Jonathan Andrews of Durham, CT, and Eric Andrews of Somerville, MA; Andy’s daughters: Laurie Andrews, and her husband Lawrence Mullett of Manchester, CT; and Cynthia (Andrews) Balint, and her husband Jack Balint of Lebanon, CT; and many nieces and nephews, and many, many friends.

Andy was predeceased by his brother Michael Andrews of East Hartford, CT; and sisters: Mary Grip of New Britain, CT and Mobile, AL; Ann Devokaitis of New Britain, CT; Elizabeth “Bett” Makrewicz of Southington (Plantsville), CT: and Helen Stochmal and Susan “Sue” Tocoinis, both of New Britain, CT; and niece Joanne Rising of Plantsville, CT, and nephews: Andrew “Andy” Devokaitis of Southington, CT, and Michael Tocoinis of New Britain, CT.

A note of thanks goes to, and thank God for, the personnel of the Cancer Center at St. Francis, and St. Francis Hospital, for the important work that they do and the lives they impact.

Friends and family of Andy are welcome to attend a period of visitation on Thursday, October 6th, at Newkirk & Whitney Funeral Home, 318 Burnside Ave., East Hartford, CT from 10AM to 12PM, followed by a funeral service at Noon at the funeral home. Burial is private at a later date convenient to the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Andy’s memory may be made to the American Cancer Society https://donate.cancer.org/index or St. Francis/Mount Sinai Regional Cancer Center at St. Francis Hospital, Hartford, CT. http://www.saintfrancisdonor.com/Donation/Form.asp?Action=Edit&FormID=1

To leave an online condolence, please visit www.newkirkandwhitney.com