Andrew Francis Picariello

“If someone calls and they need you, you go.” That phrase sums up Andrew Picariello’s philosophy and life spent in service to his family, friends, colleagues, community, church, and the international vintage racing car fraternity. Andy was always the first with his hand up to help, be it rescuing baby birds and stray dogs in childhood; serving as an altar boy and boy scout; wingman to a disabled friend throughout their school years; or holding leadership roles across his career and in numerous community service and club roles.

Born in the Great Depression, Andy was the youngest of three children and only boy of first-generation Italian immigrants, Mario ‘Mike’ Picariello and Flora DeFazio. He often recalled the secure base his extended family had forged at their Carter Street farm in Newton Upper Falls, MA. There was enough to eat, cousins to play with, and family security anchored by strong women. This instilled Andy’s unshakable belief that through faith, hard work, frugality, resilience and loyalty, in striving to do the right thing by yourself and others, you would succeed.

Apprenticing with his plumber father nurtured Andy’s intrinsic fascination with how things work, chemistry and speed. By age five he was zipping around in his homemade pedal car, and his school years spawned all manner of useful and curious apparatus – invariably involving vehicles, photography or combustion. Though Andy’s interests were more practical than academic, there was never a question that he was university-bound, and he earned a pre-med degree from Boston College in1956. Andy prized the Catholic intellectual tradition, often lamenting the bygone era when a working-class Italian kid could get a Jesuit education on the proceeds of a summer job.

Andy began his professional life in laboratory testing before quickly deducing that selling scientific equipment to laboratories would be more lucrative than working in one. A born story-teller and humorist, Andy’s diligence and natural ease with people of all walks of life facilitated rapid career progression: Howe & French and HealthCo in Boston, then more than 20 years with Corning Industries’ Medical & Scientific business, where as senior sales rep for the New England laboratory equipment division he won the prestigious President’s Circle Award for sales excellence an unprecedented two times.

Andy’s brief stint in the lab however did afford the encounter with his future wife, Judith Margaret Merrill, an RN working with a gynecologist in the same building. Upon marrying in 1963 they settled in Needham, home to Andy’s family, where their first daughter, Margaret, was born a year later, followed by Mimi in 1966.

Throughout the early years of their marriage, Andy worked daytime in sales, and nights in his home basement workshop repairing lab equipment, while Judy supervised the overnight nursing staff at Glover Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room. This very contemporary arrangement was made possible by living above Andy’s parents, who looked after Margaret while Andy and Judy worked round-the-clock until Mimi’s arrival. Judy went back to work as a school nurse once Mimi was in school full time, and she later returned to surgical nursing for the final 20 years of her career.

A staunch advocate for women’s education and advancement, Andy was immensely proud of how deftly Judy managed family, career and social life; and his daughters Margaret and Mimi, who attended Mt Holyoke and Wellesley, and went on to earn Masters and PhD degrees, respectively. He sponsored the Needham Exchange Club’s first female member, and over the decades mentored many female trainee sales reps embarking on their Corning careers. Andy often remarked that heading the sales trainee program, his final role with Corning, was his most satisfying and enjoyable.

Andy and Judy loved their extended family, friends and community, and embedded themselves in Needham’s fabric. Andy joined the Exchange Club in 1965, served as Club President 1978-79, and was named Exchangite Extraordinaire a decade later. Upon ‘retiring’ to Marstons Mills on Cape Cod in 1994, Andy joined the Osterville Men’s Club, the West Barnstable Deer Club, and revived the Old Post Landing Neighborhood Association, serving as President and Treasurer for many years.

But full retirement was not for Andy – despite a rich social life, and the joys of home gardening and his adored collies and sheltie. So, he teamed up with longtime friend Ralph Shea in acquiring small commercial buildings on the Upper Cape. Ralph handled deals and financing while Andy managed the properties and tenant relations. With a keen appreciation for small businesses stresses, Andy often gave lessees a rent reprieve in lean times, believing a good tenant should be allowed time to trade through the rough patches – an instinct that invariably proved correct.

Post-corporate life also shifted Andy’s lifelong passion for vintage British racing cars to high gear. He was acknowledged worldwide for his expertise in his favorite marque, Allards, serving as Secretary of the US Allard Owners Club for decades. Thousands of painstaking hours spent exquisitely restoring his1950 J2 Allard Competition Roadster and 1950 K2 Allard rendered them best the in world. The cars won prestigious national and international awards, including the Amelia Trophy (Amelia Island Concours D’Elegance, FL, 2007); Grand National First Prize (AACA National Meet, Kalamazoo, MI, 2007); and Road & Track’s ‘Car We’d Most Like To Drive’ accolade (Vanderbilt Concours, Newport, RI, 2008). Andy and Judy were also active members of the Cape Cod British Car Club and Jaguar Association of New England. Enjoying the social aspects as much as the cars themselves, car club events took the all over the US and globe, often to the UK and as far as New Zealand.

Andy drove to heaven to join Judy on May 17th after a brief illness. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Andy’s memory to the Cape Cod MSPCA or the Collie Rescue League of New England.