Andrew Vierstra Jr.

Andy is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Louise Hicks Vierstra of Henderson NV and Rockport MA. He was the father of Scott Vierstra and his wife Lisa of Canal WInchester OH; Brian Vierstra and his wife Eleanor of Florence MA; Kimberly Vierstra of Arlington MA; Bruce Vierstra (deceased) and his wife Cathleen of Concord MA; and Dana Kainalu Vierstra and his wife Meridith Pingree, of Brooklyn NY. Andy was grandfather to Cyril, Mario Lawrence, Courtney (Vierstra) Brady, Stephanie, James, Amelia, Victoria, Clara, and Edward. He was also brother to Bernard, Bernice Feddema (deceased), Shirley Barker, Joyce Camara, and William.

Born 24 November 1931, in Whitinsville, Massachusetts, he was the son of Friesian immigrants, Andrew Vierstra Sr. and Katherine (Oppewal) Vierstra. After graduating from Whitinsville High School, Andy went to work in the Whitin Machine works as a wood pattern maker, before being recruited to play basketball for Clark University where he studied Physics. He supplemented his income with summer jobs building cars for GM and helping to build his brother’s house, picking up practical skills that he would later use in his many projects.

In 1956, Andy went to work for Massachusetts Institute of Technology/Lincoln Laboratory (MIT/LL) in Lexington, MA. He spent his entire career at Lincoln Lab., researching RADAR technology; work he often described as ‘fun’. After his official retirement, he continued to work as a consultant until he became ill, in 2011. Andy’s coworkers have described him as a hands-on guy; “the wave man”; a creative thinker who would apply not only his advanced analytical and technical skills, but might also solve complex engineering problems with salvaged microwave parts from the dump or a quick trip to Home Depot.

He and Louise married in 1957, in Arlington MA and moved to the house he helped build in Concord MA the year after. His first four children were born in Concord before 1964 when the family moved to Kwajalein, a missile testing site, in the Marshall islands for the first of three overseas tours. The family alternated between Kwajalein and Concord, taking several cross-country trips with an Airstream trailer in the transitions. Shortly before their final overseas tour, Andy and Louise welcomed their fifth child. During the final Kwajalein tour, the family also spent time in Kamuela Hawaii, where Andy’s three oldest children attended high school. Later, the family settled into life in Concord for several years before moving to Henderson, NV in 1986, where Andy was the first Site Manager for MIT/LL’s Las Vegas field station.

Andy loved all sorts of sports and activities, He played many competitive sports, including basketball, tennis, soccer, baseball, volleyball, golf and more. He also enjoyed fishing, sailing, snorkelling, and surfing.

Andy had an insatiable appetite for projects In addition to building his house in Concord, extensively remodeling the family cottage at Long Beach, Rockport, MA and building his “Barn” in Henderson, NV, he made his own large surfboard, built two lightning class sailboats, and restored two model A cars. On Kwajalein, he created his own small banana plantation, and built beautiful furniture from recycled bowling alleys and exotic wood packing crates. Andy even built a television broadcast transmitter, earning him the moniker, ‘Father of Kwajalein TV’. He also provided help and advice to many friends and family on their own projects, and could usually be counted on to come up with solutions to insolvable problems.

Active in his church, Andy extended his love of people, projects, and sports in a life of service and actual doing. He built a movable stage for his church in Concord, and participated in several mission trips to Mexico and Arizona to build churches and playgrounds. He volunteered at prisons in both Massachusetts and Nevada, playing baseball and basketball with the inmates.

Andy will be greatly missed but will live in the hearts of the many he touched through his remarkable life.

Thank you for the outpouring of love, comfort and support demonstrated through your cards, e-mails and phone calls. Above all, we thank you for your faithful prayers and for pointing us to God and His Word. We are grateful for the loving care given to Andy and Louise by all the remarkable staff of Delmar Gardens of Green Valley over the past two years, and for the love and friendship that friends and family have generously given throughout our lives. We especially thank Brian for his generosity of spirit in giving up a year of his life to spend with his Dad.

A memorial service will be held on the 26th of January at 2 PM at the Desert Willow Golf Club, 2020 W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy. Henderson, NV.

There will also be a memorial service on the 10th of August at 4 PM, at the First Baptist Church of Rockport, in Rockport, MA.

Arrangements under the direction of Palm Eastern Mortuary, Las Vegas, NV.